The Paper Clip Rebel

A week after her grandmother’s funeral, Johana found a small package on her doorstep. The black box was about the size of a quarter with a note taped to the lid: 

“Use it well, 

Love, Gran”

Inside the box was an underwhelming bit of silver wire. That’s all it was — a little curve of metal. Johana had never seen anything like it. But as unthreatening as it looked, she knew that it was contraband. 

The government had outlawed a number of items deemed destructive to society when Gran was a child, but the law didn’t stop her from keeping parts of her youth safely stored in the basement of her home. 

When Johana was seven years old, she found her grandmother's box of makeup. 

“Isn’t makeup poisonous?” little Johana asked skeptically. 

“It’s not, dear. That’s just what they want you to think,” said Gran, hiding her precious cosmetics away under a floorboard. 

All of Johana’s questions were answered with “You’ll know when you’re older.” 

Now, at twenty years old, Johana was older but still had no clue why Gran kept so many dangerous items. In school, they learned that makeup caused skin diseases, that jewelry was a waste of precious resources, and that flashy clothes were scientifically proven to decrease the nation’s economic productivity. 

Johana’s studies convinced her that Gran’s obsession with forbidden objects was nothing but a desperate attempt at preserving a sense of nostalgia. 

But this final gift from Gran — this tiny metal loop— reignited Johana’s curiosity. 

 What could it be? 

She made a list of its possible uses: 

1. A musical instrument
2. A fish hook 
3. A tool for vandalizing vehicles
4. A tiny weapon for poking people’s eyes out
5. Body modification?? 

Johana knew that many people in Gran’s day had piercings and tattoos. That’s why the crime rate was so high in the past. People went crazy stabbing themselves with needles to stay in fashion. Thank goodness it was outlawed. 

She shuddered at the thought of puncturing herself with her grandmother's gift. The wire was so thick! All of Johana’s guesses were getting her nowhere, so she stuffed the unknown object in her coat pocket and left to find answers in Gran’s abandoned basement. 

To get into the house, Johana used Gran’s spare key which was hidden in the hollow of a tree in the front yard. Inside, the place still smelled like champagne and roses. Gran’s house was the only place that really smelled like anything for some reason. 

It was also the only place that had any pop of color. The government banned home decor when Johana turned twelve. All buildings were painted neutral colors for uniformity. But Gran often had accidents, spilling pots of strawberry jam on her beige tiles or splashing droplets of mixed egg yolk on the white walls. Every surface of Gran’s home had some kind of stain on it. 

Oh, Gran. What a mess, Johana thought wistfully. You were always so clumsy.

She walked down the creaky stairs into Gran’s basement. Upon walking inside, there seemed to be nothing but shelves filled with state-approved books. However, Gran hid her treasures well, knowing that the police regularly searched homes for contraband unannounced. 

Johana knew a few of the hiding spots. She found the makeup right where Gran left it under the floorboards. It consisted of a case of powder, a tube of red lipstick and a whole collection of brushes. There was also some perfume in an oddly-shaped glass bottle. What a waste of glass and essential oils! Johana thought to herself. 

Under a different floorboard, there were hundreds of discs in plastic cases. Johana rummaged through them, not recognizing any of the names. Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Elton John, Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, Kendrick Lamar…

 Johana rolled her eyes at Snoop Dogg and huffed, “What a weird name!”

Along with the large collection of discs, there were also sleek gadgets which Johana knew were smartphones. Her history teacher at school liked to call them “the invention that destroyed humanity.” Johana had never seen one in real life before. She picked up the device. The dark screen looked like a black hole. When she held it in her hand, she could almost feel it sucking out her soul. Frightened by the thought, she dropped it back into the pile of useless clutter. 

After three hours of searching, Johana still had not found a single clue about Gran’s gift. Defeated, she sat against a shelf near the entrance of the basement and leaned her head back against it. 

When she looked up, Johana noticed a cardboard box peeking out over an inconspicuous sill near the ceiling. She only needed a stool from the kitchen to reach it. She pulled out the box filled with dusty books and loose parchment. 

Under a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was a stack of old newspaper clippings. Johana shuffled through them, reading:

“Federal Government Bans Jewelry Manufacturing Amid Gold and Silver Shortage”

“Mandatory Workplace Uniforms to be Implemented Nationwide” 

“Makeup: A Deadly Distraction” 

“Legislation Successfully Passes ‘Vanity Prohibition’ Laws” 

“52 Rebels Arrested at Anti-Prohibition Protest”

At the bottom of the stack, she found one with a large colored photo that said: 

“National Security Council Bans Paper Clips, 

The Symbol of the Rebellion”

In the picture, three women were dressed in gray work uniforms. However, they accessorized themselves with bits of twisted metal which looked exactly like Gran’s gift. One woman wore a bunch of them in a chain around her neck. Another had them clipped to each earlobe. The last woman--who Johana recognized as a young Gran-- wore the silver paper clips in her hair. 

There was a plastic case filled with paper clips safely concealed under the newspapers. Johana took out her own paper clip from her pocket and smiled. 

“I get it now! I get it!” she exclaimed. “It’s jewelry!"

Then, she placed Gran’s gift back in the box along with the rest of the paper clips. She cleaned the basement, putting everything back in each hiding spot. 

Johana went home feeling incredibly proud of herself for solving her grandmother’s mystery.