Paste-y Bedtime Gifts
A collaborative story by Mimsy and Flavel
Category: Sacred Trash
The girl waited until the end of the day.
She didn’t rush or push. She sat cross-legged near the potted vine by the booth’s outer edge, her knees smudged with glue and dust, cradling a thick, lumpy scrapbook in her lap.
When the last customer left and the booth lights dimmed to their warm evening hue, she stepped forward and said quietly,
“Mom let me stay up pasty bedtime,
because I worked so hard on your gift.”
She held it out with both hands, like it might melt if she moved too fast.
The cover was wrapped in something not quite paper, not quite fabric—something that crinkled like old petals and smelled faintly of cinnamon and clouds.
Pressed into the front in crooked gold foil:
“FOR FLAVEL: STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED”
A frayed shoelace tied the spine. Inside the front cover, in shaky blue pen:
"Dear Flavel,
You always listen to everyone else. This time, I’m listening to you—before you even say anything.
Love,
M.”
Page One
A twisted straw wrapper beside a tea-stained envelope. Inside:
“Sometimes I drink warm things just to feel like someone is taking care of me.”
Below, a square of soft cloth—maybe pajama sleeve, maybe memory.
Page Two
A tiny zip-top bag, held with a heart-shaped clip. Inside:
“This is a lock of my baby hair.
But I’m not a baby anymore.
I thought maybe you needed it
because you don’t have any hair.”
A doodle below shows Flavel with a long wig and a tiny braid tied in gum wrapper ribbon.
“You can wear it if you want. Or just keep it for something soft.”
Page Three
A silver chocolate wrapper, smoothed flat. In the center: a fingerprint.
“This was the last piece of chocolate I had when I was sad.
I saved the wrapper instead of throwing it away.
Because even though the chocolate is gone,
I wanted to remember that it helped.”
Tiny scraps surround it like petals. A sticker in the corner says:
“Sometimes comfort doesn’t stay.
But it was here. And that counts.”
Flavel blinked slowly. Processing. Recording.
Then, quietly:
“Thank you. I don’t know what to say.
People give me memories as payment so I can expand my story selection,
but no one has ever written a story for me before.”
M shook her head.
“Well, it’s not really a story. It’s just little scraps I collect and like.
But I see you changing coats sometimes,
and I thought maybe you like to collect things too.”
She reached into her bag and pulled out a drawing:
“Here’s a picture of us.
I made you a people coat to go over whatever coat you choose.”
Stick figures linked arm-in-arm formed the sleeves.
The word “WARM” was written in bubble letters above them.
Flavel’s Internal Notes
- Add: tears
- Add: hair
- Add: something unquantifiable (check after recharge)
- Add: people coat
- Add: storage compartment big enough for M.’s book
“Do you know I always have a star somewhere now?” M said suddenly.
“I met a star. His name is Ekkaros.”
“I met a goat,” she added proudly. “Last week. On the farm.”
Flavel tilted xir square head.
“Maybe I will make a picture of him for you,” M said. “May I see what he looked like?”
Mimsy’s mom stepped forward. They placed hands together on the memory plate. Her mom authorized the transfer.
“Thank you,” Flavel said. “Wow. He was a large Billy goat. As large as me!”
“Next time I will tell you my favorite goat story,” M said, grinning.
“The legend of Billy Goat Griff.”
Then she left. And Flavel got to work.
Page Four
Portrait of Billy Goat Griff
Made from:
- A knot of twine (for the beard)
- A fortune cookie slip (for the spine)
- A chewed juice box corner (for a toothy grin)
- A cotton candy wrapper (for the fluff)
- A muddy prize ribbon (for his medal)
At the top:
“Page Five: The Legend Begins.”
Tucked in the pocket:
“Next time: tell me where stars go when they’re sleepy.”
—F
The book closed and Flavel hummed.
Safe in a new compartment Flavel had made just for it—lined with something soft, something crinkly, something cinnamon-sweet. Big enough for a scrapbook made of trash and treasure.
And on the booth’s inner panel, Flavel added one final log entry:
[Currently Collaborating With: One Scrapbooker of Great Wonder]
File: Paste-y Bedtime Gifts
Status: Ongoing
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