Nov 13 2002

I've mentioned I attend evening classes as a college extension location here in Fargo. The basement classroom area has a small break room, not much larger than a storage closet. On one side are a few vending machines, a sink and coffee maker to the other side, and there's a few small, round cafe tables spread about.

Tonight, one of the tables had a small box set on it. The box was wrapped in paper, multicolored question marks printed all over it. The top had a large slot, and on the table beside it was a paper tablet and a pencil.

There's no sign, no note, nothing to describe the box's purpose.

Inside the box was a single piece of paper.

I turned the box over, squeezing my fingers through the slot to fish out the single folded note. I figure, maybe you're supposed to drop your name in, or possibly it's a suggestion box. The slip will give me a clue as to it's reason for being.

I clamp the paper between my fingers, and squeeze it out.

There's one sentence written on the paper, in pencil.

"WHAT IS THIS BOX FOR?"

i once was making some extra cash by helping a set up crew put together a large convention in the anaheim convention hall (mainly setting up rugs, tables, chairs, particians, etc.) before we started work we surveyed the huge cavernous, completely empty room we had to do the work in. on one of the many support columns in the middle of the room, there was a small sign posted about eye level, complete with frame. the sign said "do not remove from this room." it was a sign whose sole purpose was to restrict people from removing it. an object whose function was self-preservation. too weird.

--skippy, 11/14/2002 12:42:05