The Canning Jar Returns

A few days ago, I put the canning jar out for a sunbath. I forgot it on the wall, and when I returned, several hours later, it was gone. There was a woman munching candies loitering on the walk.

“Want a candy?” she said?
“No, thanks,” I said, “but my canning jar is missing!”
“Well, it looked like you wanted to get rid of it, sitting there on the wall,” the lady replied.
“No, I was just charging it. It glows at night if it sits in the sun.”
“Well, now all that’s left is the candy wrappers I put down in the place where it was. To let you know that it’s gone,” the woman said.
She was a bit odd, but I’ve learned that living in an apartment is different than owning your home and one has to get along with many kinds of people. I wondered if she’d taken the jar.
“Have you seen it?” I asked.
“Sure,” she said, it was right where the candy wrapper are now. But I didn’t take it.”
I wondered about that. The whole thing with the candy wrappers was so odd.
I made a sign, “Have you seen my jar of sunlight? Please bring it back to Apt 108″ with a picture of the jar, and posted it on the spot I’d left the jar. Half an hour later the apartment house’s super rapped at my door, with the sign in her hand.
“We don’t allow these” she said, handing me the sign.
“Where can I post it?” I asked.
“You shouldn’t have left the jar out at all,” she said.
“I know that, and I’m sorry I forgot it, but now that it’s gone, I’d like to try to get it back.”
“Not with a sign,” she said, and handed me the flyer.
I put it up in the laundry room, on the bulletin board, hoping it would be seen by the person who took it.
The odd woman was in the laundry room.
“Why you like that ol’ jar?” she said.
“Because I don’t own a lot of things here and the jar keeps me company by glowing at night.”
“You silly,” she said and left.
But the next day, there was a bag by my door and the jar of sunlight was back. It had been opened and the switch messed with, but a little work and it was next to me, charging up while I did my work outside.
I’m glad he’s back. He hasn’t shared his adventures yet.

–Image: Graphite on Bristol Board, Quinn McDonald, Story and image (c) 2008, All rights reserved.