My Mission

My Mission By Amanda Stogsdill

First Morning, Beautiful Drawing

 It is a cloudless, sunny day. I'm at the beach lying on a blanket, which is resting on the gritty sand. The soft breeze is in a playful mood, causing the girl working on me to complain, "My paper won't stop flapping." Eventually, a rock is placed on one of my sides, holding me in place. After finishing their picture, the girl and the other children run off to play. The rock is kicked away, leaving me unprotected on the sand. Wait! Why is the wind picking up? Where is it taking me?

The First Person

The day began like any other for Carol. She'd gone shopping for birthday presents for her grandchildren, then had lunch with a friend. She was crossing the silent parking lot, coat pulled up against the strong wind, when a crumpled piece of paper unexpectedly landed at her feet.

Journey

I'm being carried along by a strong breeze. I wonder why the girl had ran away after writing on me. As the wind slows, I feel myself start to fall. Down, down, down, until I come to rest lightly on the dirty, concrete parking lot of a mall! Now what?

Trash

Startled, Carol glanced down at the paper on the ground. Placing her bags in the trunk of her car, she stooped, picking up the dirty paper. What in the world! Folded in half and taped along one side, the paper was very dirty and sandy! Brushing the sand away, Carol started to unfold it—then ... "Why bother!" She thought, "It's just trash." Sighing, she tossed it back on the ground, and climbed into her car. "Time for the night shift!" She said aloud. Pressing on the gas, she sped away, narrowly missing running over the forlorn piece of paper.

Where Is It?

Tia was frantic. After playing with the kids, she'd returned to her blanket to find the paper had disappeared. "Mom, Mom! It's gone." Tia cried, pointing at where it had previously been.

"Oh dear. Let's look over here." Her Mom, Vanessa said calmly. So, the happy day ended with mother and daughter searching for a piece of paper. On this enormous beach, it could be anywhere; like searching for a needle in a haystack. Vanessa hadn’t seen it, so didn’t know what to search for.

"Sorry, kid. Haven't seen it!" A sun-bathing woman mumbled, not even looking up, "Check that dumpster over there." Pointing, she returned to her magazine.

"Doing homework on the beach? Really?" A man asked, laughing. "Good luck, honey. If you can't find it, tell your teacher the wind blew it away!"

"No. It's not homework. It's important!" Tia tried to explain. She swallowed, fighting tears.

But, the man wasn't listening. Still chuckling, he strode away, his sandals leaving wet footprints in the soft sand.

Long And Sad Night

As the woman's car speeds away, I wonder what will happen next. "At least, the wind's calm." I think. Now, I suppose I'll have to wait till morning for someone to find me! Which means, I have to lie on this cold concrete till then. Oh, the life of a piece of paper! If only the kid hadn't ran off, and the wind hadn't decided to blow! Everything would be fine.

In bed that night, Tia's mother spoke reassuringly. "We'll keep looking, darling. Maybe someone else picked it up!"

"They wouldn't know where it goes." Tia sniffed, her face buried in her favorite stuffed toy.

"Did you put her name and room number on it?" Vanessa asked, stroking Tia's hair. She nodded. "Then, I'm sure if someone discovers it, they'll bring it to her."

Tia nodded again, but still looked unconvinced. Kissing Tia’s forehead, her Mom closed the door, leaving her night light on.

The Second Day, Lonely

The woman lay quietly in her hospital bed, listening to the morning sounds. There was the nurses' shoes, the annoying intercom paging doctors, and the squeak of the breakfast cart making its rounds. Blinking sleep away, the woman looked out her window at the bright sun shining through.

Gazing at the drab walls, she thought, ”Will anything happen today? Will anyone come besides nurses?” Are the children okay, are they learning anything? I've been here a month—no visitors. I'm out of the ICU now, what a relief.

The patient in the next room celebrated a birthday, with cake, balloons, the works. Pushing back memories of the terrible car accident which landed her in this place, she could only hope things would improve for her.

Rant

I deserve better than this! I'm being stepped on and kicked around; the wind isn't helping, blowing me from one end of the parking lot to the other. I mean, it was soft, like yesterday, but if you were a piece of paper, you'd want to remain motionless, too. How would you like to be played with by nature, tossed this way and that? Humans never understand what happens when they throw paper away!

If the wind isn't bad enough, there's the people! Big grown-up shoes, small kids' shoes; all hurrying past me going about their business. The last straw comes when someone's sticky, chewed-up gum lands on me. Really? If only someone would stop and notice me.

The Final Day, Storm

Ooh, not again! The wind's angry today, blowing fiercely in all directions. It's pouring rain too, so I'm thoroughly drenched! Like I said, with nature, I'm constantly being buffeted like a doll by the unpredictable wind. Where will I end up next?

Rescue

The downpour shows no signs of stopping. I'm hurtling through this storm, with no end in sight. When I finally land, it's on the ground once again, one corner ends up in a puddle! A man's rough hand gently scoops me up, a puzzled expression on his face. "Strange. I didn't expect a delivery on the ground!" He says. Smiling, the man takes me to his truck. "Let's see what I found," The man says, unfolding me. "Let's get you dry." He proceeds to dry me off with a rag, but I'm still wrinkly. At least, I'm safely out of this fierce storm.

The man puzzles over the name written on me, then says, “Since there’s no hotels around here, I’ll take this piece of paper to the hospital.” Before driving off, the man turns up the heat, drying me out some more. After we arrive, I’m slipped in to a dry, black envelope.

Last Stop

"Look at you! You're soaked!" The receptionist glanced up from her computer as the mailman entered. The hospital waiting room was unusually quiet; only an expectant father and an older couple sat waiting. The receptionist knew the peace wouldn't last, especially on a stormy night like tonight.

"I've got mail here." The mailman handed over a stack of letters.

"Thanks." The receptionist said, "Want some coffee?" Shaking his head, the mailman headed out into the downpour.

Halfway to his car, he raced back in, shoes sliding into a deep puddle by the door. "Carol, almost forgot. One of the letters is a bit damp. The woman's name is on the paper. I had to dry it out, could be difficult to read, though." Carol, fingers tapping at her computer, merely nodded.

Almost There!

I'm being carried down the long, silent hospital hallways. If a piece of paper can express emotions, mine would be Excitement, Relief, and Joy! I'm where I'm supposed to be. About time! If only this Carol lady can find the right room.

Searching

As each patient received their mail, Carol felt strangely sad. I'd rather be doing paperwork. She thought. The patients are so grateful for anything that brightens up their day. After leaving Gerald's room, Carol noticed the unsealed envelope. Just a typical plain, black envelope, with nothing written on it.

Curiously, she opened it. Inside, was a dirty, wrinkled, piece of paper folded in half. A name was written on it in a child's unsteady printing. Although the paper was dry, it was still difficult to read. Who? Carol thought, straining to read it.

Stopping a passing nurse, Carol showed the paper to her; she couldn't make out much, either. “Ms. Wi--not sure what the rest of it is. Room 10--." Vanessa read, wondering if this was her daughter’s picture.

"Time to ask the patients!" Carol sighed.

The two women visited patients' rooms, hoping one of them could decipher the smudged name. "Don't know." Sophie said.

"Lara. I have no idea." Gerald suggested, shaking his head. "Hope you find whoever it is." Glancing out his window at the overcast sky, he added, "Hope this nasty rain quits soon."

"Oh well," Carol sighed, "Perhaps we should just throw it away!"

Vanessa answered firmly, "Let's check the computer. The room number is 1—something. I don't want to search this whole hospital, though."

Vanessa was about to take the paper when she was paged. Sighing, she said, “I’ll try and look later.”

"Better you than me." Carol replied, continuing on her way.

The waiting room had filled up by this time; angry, bedraggled patients and loved ones who demanded to be seen. Glad the mail was delivered, Carol got down to the business of checking in patients.

After the waiting room cleared out (and as she sipped her second cup of strong, sugared coffee), Carol stretched, hoping for a few minutes' peace. Unfortunately, another nurse reminded her of that stupid letter. "Found out whose letter that is?" She asked, perching on Carol's desk.

"How do you know about it?" Carol yawned, irritated.

"Vanessa said you two were visiting patients, asking them about the name. And the patients are still curious."

"I suppose I could check now." Carol picked up the letter for what felt like the millionth time, studying it. Turning to her computer, she began searching through the patients' rooms on the first floor, and patients' names that began with L A. Peering over Carol's shoulder, the other nurse cried, "Found her!"

Belonging

In her hospital bed, the woman couldn't sleep. Perhaps it was the crying wind and the heavy rain pounding against her window. Or it was the horrible realization that she still had some recovering to do. Tossing and turning, she stared at the drab hospital walls. No flowers, no chocolates or magazines. Nothing to cheer her up or help pass the time.

"Laura, you awake?" Laura turned her head, not even pretending to be asleep as she sometimes did whenever the nurse came to check on her.

"Yes. Who are you?"

"Carol, the receptionist. I have something for you. Would you like it now, or in the morning?"

Stupid question! Laura eagerly reached for the gift, all smiles. Pressing a button, her hospital bed rose, so she was sitting in an upright position. "Here." Carol handed Laura her letter, and quietly left the room, glad that task was over.

"Carol, Carol." Patients called out as she passed, "Did you find her?"

I may as well announce it over the intercom. She chuckled. At each room, she replied that yes, the patient had been found and the letter delivered!

Mission Accomplished

With trembling hands, Laura rips open the envelope, letting it fall to the floor. I'm in the right hands, at last! Laura opens me slowly, as if not wanting this moment to end. Smoothing me out, I lie flat on the bed, where she can see me.

Laura reads the message, in bright colorful (now smudged), handwriting:

Ms. Wilkinson,

Get well soon. We want you back! Our subs don't teach like you. We miss you a lot.

Tia

The other kids had signed their names, too. The rest of me is decorated with smiley faces and seashells.

Blinking back tears, Laura reads the message again. Then, she places me on her table beside the bed. I'm propped up against her water glass, so everyone can see me when they come in.

"What happened to you?" Laura muses aloud, looking at me, still torn and wrinkly. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, you don't want to know," I think, "What a story that is!"

The End