Hello Strangers.
Along the coast of Maine, sharp breezes and dark skies close in as summer warns of its own demise. When the tourists leave for the season, the population of a small, isolated town shrinks to three thousand, and the locals are left alone with the cold and dark. The sea taunts a young woman suffering personal tragedy yet again, in Megan Miranda’s ‘The Last House Guest.’ And I think to myself, man. This girl could use an ice cream.
A while ago, I worked at a sandwich shop and it was the happiest time of my life. And I was determined to be happy. It was during Covid and our supply chain regularly fell behind on orders. Bags were missing, straws, cups, lids, salad containers, et cetera, and we made do. It wasn’t a particularly big issue. But every time my manager would walk up with a box of bags to open, I felt my face light up like some cross between a Christmas tree and a clown. His face would twist up in response and he’d ask,
“What are you so happy about?”
I was happy about the bags. Obviously. What else was I supposed to draw frogs on.
I once went to the grocery store coffee shop on our strip and picked up a fork. My glee was boundless. I think I giggled. The barista, Collin, looked at me with bewilderment and asked,
“You okay over there? You just looked at the fork like it was God.”
Well no, Collin, not God, let’s not get carried away. And, yes, Collin, I’m over the moon. Last time I came here to eat an entire-one-dollar-pie-that-I-didn’t-buy-from-you, you were out of forks and I had to buy a full container from someone else and come back. Which I can’t believe is allowed.
And that’s very close to what I said, with a Joker grin plastered across my face. And the truly spectacular part of this was that it happened every day. And I was genuinely joyful, every day.
As I’ve mentioned, I’m in a bit of a rough patch right now, but! Yesterday, an opportunity came my way. I was gifted a banana split and let me tell you,
Bright Spot.
One chocolate scoop covered in marshmallow sauce, one strawberry scoop covered in sugared strawberries, one vanilla scoop covered in fudge sauce and nuts. A banana underneath, and all topped with whipped cream.
In my mind I could hear ‘Top of the World’ by the Carpenters playing. And because it’s in the movie, ‘Dark Shadows,’ that’s what I thought of. The happy song laid on top of a deep blue world, just a little twisted. And I thought,
That movie would be so much better with a scene of someone really enjoying a banana split. Bright spots.
See, the movie was funny. It was a dark comedy, and I understand why there were no yellow-lit summer scenes including a frozen treat. But in that moment, I understood there could have been one. And there is a good rule of thumb for story writing here:
Nothing lasts forever.
In our writing, we should break up monotony from time to time. If the story is one filled with gloom and danger, you must have authentic moments of joy and comfort. If your story is one of light and glee, it should be punctuated by a sadder perspective. The holes we punch in the paper are what make the world, like tears in the sky, making our constellations. It’s all the small things. Whether good or bad, the small things will build your story, and those moments need to be there, lest they be forgotten.
Happy writing, Strangers.
With all the love I have,
–Mabel
To All My Strangers 