May Day Mystery

Dearest Rachel –

Sometimes, little things appear, and you chalk it up to coincidence. I know it wasn’t really you who left that balloon on the yard for me to find on my birthday, but there wasn’t anything to suggest that it was left there purposely by anyone – and the most likely suspects categorically denied having anything to do with it. It will likely be an unsolved mystery for all my life, and I’d best not dwell on it, lest I go that much crazier than I already am.

I mean, it still could have wound up there by sheer happenstance, and it might have blown by without my noticing had I not taken Chompers out at that particular time, too. So for now, I’m still going to credit you with that one.

But that brings me to today, which seems a little more… deliberate. Like I’m being targeted, although not in any creepy stalkerish way. Just that someone wants to cheer me up, but do it without my knowledge of who they are.

And once again, I have Chompers to thank for spotting it. Really, if something is going to be left outside for me to find, and I don’t have a reason to go outside, it’s going to be ignored, but obviously, that’s not a problem these days. After all, the old boy seems to want out nearly every hour he’s awake.

Which is another perplexing thing about this. I’m pretty sure I was already out some time after noon, and nothing was out of the ordinary. But when I carried him outside around 2 o’clock or so, I spotted this hanging on the screen door:

Whoever did this had a relatively short window of time to work in, without leaving any indication that they were by (well, apart from the obvious).

And speaking of obvious, while I never really expect to see anything on our door, it’s hard to miss when something’s there.

Particularly something like this:

Like I said, this wasn’t placed here by accident. Nor was this something hung on every door on the block. No, this was deliberately set for me to find, by… who?

Whoever did this meant not to be identified, it seems. I confess that I can’t relate to that attitude. It isn’t as though I’d want recognition for doing something like this, as such. But as the recipient of this little present, I just want to know. I’d like to believe it was from a certain someone(s), but I seriously doubt this was from them. I’d just like to know rather than having this mystery hanging over my head. I can write off the balloon as ‘a God thing,’ as Jan says, but this… came from someone. And I just wish I knew who.

But with no way to make any sort of determination as to the source, all I can do for now is to accept this strange gift, and give it an appropriate place in the house.

Ironically, your objection to flowers as a gift was that, well… they die. So, yeah. I suppose that might mean that these tulips will join you soon. I hope, for the sake of our mysterious benefactor, that you’ll appreciate them nonetheless.

I do hope whoever left these with us finds the blessing they deserve for this ‘cup of cold water,’ even if it comes unsolicited, out of the blue.

You were never much for surprises, honey, but it’s been strange how many little surprises have come to Daniel and I in these days since your departure. It may be a poor exchange for your loss, but I admit, they make days without you just that little bit more bearable.

Talk to you later, honey.