The Fairy's Garden

“I’ve had it!” I groaned, to no one in particular, as I walked into my bedroom, and after dropping everything previously held in my hands on the floor.

At work my boss man had insisted that I work with Brian. Brian is the most conceited man I’ve had the displeasure of ever working with, and for some reason I end up doing it often.

We work for a few minutes and then Brian sits on his butt and talks about the other women who work with us. I’m the one focusing on staffing issues, sorting through endless applications noting who needs to be hired, and more. Brian was brought on to help me, not sit and gawk at every woman who walks past the door. He should be my assistant. And yet, he sat. Then, he wanted to brag to my boss about all he had done!

I was practically in tears after my boss commended Brian for his efforts and gave me the, “You should be taking notes” look. It’s not fair that he gets the credit for my work. However, I have no clue how to stop it. So, I left the office and now, I am here. I am here pacing from room to room, wanting to quit my job to get away from the jerk I work with. 

As I paced, now silently fuming, trying to figure out my next move, I hear something ticking on my window. I didn’t pay any attention to it at first, but later I know that my subconscious mind made a note of it even if I failed to care. As near as I can tell, I probably walked past that window three or four times before I cared enough about the soft ticking noise to turn my head. 

I see what appears to be a laser pointer’s pin light on my window, but I know without a doubt that it isn’t a laser light. It is merely a speck that glimmers like silver glitter. “What could cause that?” I wonder to myself as I start to look around the room assuming it is a reflection bouncing off something. In my mind, I know that a reflection doesn’t explain the ticking that I hear as well. 

Once I feel confident that it isn’t something inside, I walk toward the window, curiosity getting the best of me. As I get closer, the tiny ticks become a little louder, if you can really say “louder” when its barely loud enough to be clock-like. 

It isn’t until I am nearly on top of the window that I hear what sounds like a twinkle. I’ve never heard a twinkle before, but I fail to know of any other way to explain the sound. I pretend I’m just hearing things. I continue to scan the yard for something sparkling. Anything that would explain the glitter on my window.

I hear another twinkle and for some reason, my mind hears the word, “help”. I’m seriously confused, by this little noise. Even more confused when I realize the “ticking” sound is the sparkle bumping against the window. It is just a tiny movement. Small enough that I think I’m going crazy imagining things.

I hear the twinkle “help” again and feel myself sliding open the window. 

Before the window is open an eighth of an inch, the sparkle darts under it. As it does the twinkle says, “Close it! Hurry.” I do, though I’m not sure why. I just feel the sparkle’s urgency, somehow. 

In that same instant, a bluebird lands on the outside windowsill. It begins pecking at the windowpane where the glittery fleck has come to rest. 

The sparkle then said, “Thank you.”, in its odd little voice. 

Feeling like a crazy person and not quite understanding what was going on, I say only, “Uh-huh.” 

A beat later, the sparkly thing said a lot of little “twinkly” things rapid-fire, and I still do not know what all was said by it. 

I didn’t move. Eventually, it calmed enough to “twinkle” so I could hear most words.

“My name is Ginger. I am a fairy. Most will never see me. I called on you because of the bird. I need to go home. To the fairy garden. Can you help me?”

At a loss for words, I merely nod my head. Then realizing the so-called fairy sparkle thing may not know “nod”, I said only “okay”. 

Ginger said, “Great! Let us go!” and she sparkled across the room looking for what I can only assume was a way out. 

Able to finally get two of my brain cells to come together in a thought I could make sense of, I asked the obvious question, “Where are we going?” 

The sparkle stopped flitting around the room and Ginger said, “The fairy garden.” As if I’m silly for not knowing its location. “It is in the park. Can we go now? Do you know where it is?”

“Uh, there is only one park close to here. It is two blocks away. Is that right?” I asked, forgetting that for a speck, that could seem like thousands of miles. “Do you know which park?”

“The fairy gardens.” Ginger said in what I can only describe as a matter of fact twinkle followed by a twinkly giggle. 

“Okay. I’ll get my keys. We can try the park…” interrupting me she twinkled, “Walk. I’ll sit on your hand. We shall walk there. It is close for you, isn’t it?”

Now, I don’t consider two blocks as being “close”, but I wasn’t too comfortable with a sparkle that twinkled either. So, I mumbled, “it isn’t fa…” and before I finished the last word, she darted onto my hand. 

I felt a little silly, walking with my hand out holding a sparkle. I felt sure that anyone we passed by would call me crazy. Yet, I didn’t care. I just wanted to get Ginger to wherever she wanted to be so that maybe I wouldn’t feel crazy.

We had been walking about a block. Everything was uneventful except for the occasional twinkle from Ginger as she talked about the bird that tried to get her. She also spoke of the familiar scenery at times and I knew she had been here before. 

For as “over” the day as I had been, it was nice to hear the melodic twinkle of her words. 

Don’t get me wrong. I know without a doubt that I have been given a gift. A sparkling gift that wanted me to take it to a fairy garden. I am an adult and I know that sparkles cannot talk, and fairies are for babies. They don’t exist. Yet, here I am walking down the sidewalk with a piece of glitter, traveling to a fairy garden. I feel silly, but at the same time, it seems like something I’ve done before. 

Ginger seemed to be sleeping. Her twinkling had stopped. Her glow was still visible, but not as flashy as before. I’m not sure how I knew that she was sleeping or why I even noticed, but I smiled. If she felt safe enough to sleep, then I would get her there as quickly as possible. 

Just then, I heard a dog growling from the yard just ahead. It was behind a fence, so I didn’t think much of it, but it was odd considering how peaceful I felt with Ginger. I continued to stroll along at a reasonable pace. We had gone about a block and a half. Just a bit longer…

I didn’t see the gate was open on the fenced yard until the dog realized it as well. He ran through it and barreled right toward me. The sparkle lit up and the twinkling became very panicked. The dog was rushing at me and all I could think was that I needed to protect my sparkle. 

I yelled, “Help” as the dog continued to advance. Slowly. Calculating his movements. Checking to see who I was and if I was a friend or a foe. I tried to be brave. In another time, on any other day, I wouldn’t have been concerned. I’m a dog lover. I know how to avoid eye contact and hold out my hand, waiting for the dog to trust me. I’m not scared. But, knowing about the treasure I held in my hand, made me want to flee as quickly as I could.

“What if I drop her?” I thought to myself. “What if the dog advances and I have to push him away?” To Ginger, I said, “Fly!” 

Ginger leaped into the air and flitted around as I had seen her do in my home. The dog saw her sparkle as well. It seemed to enchant him. She skipped and hopped around like a piece of glitter caught in a gentle breeze. Up and down. Side to side. Going wherever the wind may take her. 

The dog followed her every move with his eyes. Never moving. Never growling or barking. Just watching the curious sparkle that was before him. Within moments, moments which seemed like hours, the dog laid down. Muzzle resting on his front paws, looking and waiting. 

Ginger slowed her flitting around and slowly settled on his nose. The dog’s eyes closed as she did so.

A moment later, Ginger came back to her resting space on my hand. The sleepy dog wagging his tail as we walked past. No longer concerned with me or my proximity to his home. 

“How did you do that?” I asked. 

“The dog feared a stranger near his home. I am not a stranger. We made friends. Dogs like fairies if we can get their attention.” She twinkled in an almost secretive way, seeming to not want to jinx her luck.

“Okay.” Just one single word. I couldn’t think of anything more. Then I said, the park is there. I will have you to it soon.” I said the final part feeling a little sad. I didn’t want to say goodbye to the sparkle. I kind of wished I didn’t have to in mere minutes. 

Once again, Ginger flitted off my hand as we entered the park. She flew a few feet away and then came back to me. Then she flew forward again. I got the feeling that she wanted me to let her be the guide now. 

Me being forever curious, I decided to follow. “Would I be able to see the fairy garden?” I wondered. 

I followed her for several minutes. The park was busy, but no one seemed to notice me or my sparkle. She flew toward an old oak tree surrounded by wildflowers. The lone tree surrounded by fifty flowers in all different colors. My first thought was that it seemed a befitting place to have a fairy garden. 

Ginger dove into the blooms. Then she bounced back up above them. Twinkling excitedly in a way that I was no longer able to understand. Her joy was all that carried over the language barrier. 

As I watched, more glittery flecks appeared. Some merely specks while others seemed like large dust particles caught in the evening sun. It was a beautiful sight to see. I began to smile. Then I laughed. 

I felt like a child who was playing with their imaginary best friend. The one I tell all my secrets to. Gingers joy was washing over me, as did all the other sparkles. 

In the next moment, Ginger’s sparkle came closer to me. As she did, she appeared to become more than just a sparkle. I began to see her “human” form, for lack of better words. She had a body, a tiny little face. Flowing hair. Wings that were more beautiful than any butterfly I’ve ever seen. A glow surrounded her entire body. 

She came to hover in front of me. Merely inches from my nose. I could only think of two words at that moment. I said simply, “You’re beautiful.” 

She floated down to land once more on my hand. As she did, she told me, “Thank you for bringing me home. This is not the first time we have met. I wasn’t sure you would see me to help me get away from the bird. You forgot your troubles to help me when I needed it the most. The same as I have done since you were a little girl. When your day is going badly, I am always there; even when you cannot see me. Don’t let Brian bother you. He does it because he wants to see if you are jealous.” 

With that, she flitted away, and all the sparkles disappeared. 

As I walked home, I pondered what she had said. How could she know those things unless she had been there? How could she be there without me ever seeing her? 

When I passed by the yard with the dog, he wagged his tail and panted with his tongue hanging out. A sweet, innocent dog that I would have loved to pet. 

It wasn’t until I got home that I began to wonder if I had been dreaming. Was it possible that I had made it up? 

No. When I was little, I remember having a fairy friend. She looked just like the fairy I had seen minutes before. She wiped away my tears. She allowed me to see her when I needed a friend the most. 

Today, I had needed a friend and Ginger was there. As she had always been. I hope to see her again one day soon.