Ess, my dear, a gift to make you happy.

I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind,
I left my body lying somewhere in the sands of time,
and I watched the world go through the dark side of the moon..
I feel there's nothing I can do.

These lyrics just came on, and I thought they were appropriate, so I thought I'd slot them in. They're from Kryptonite, by 3 Doors Down.

Now,

Indi hadn't the faintest idea of what to give her dear friend Ess on her 19th birthday, and this dismayed her. Shall she draw? Indi thought, but she didn't feel much like drawing, and had little inspiration. Shall she collect songs for Ess? But Indi hadn't a clue where to begin! Shall she write a ditty to her, like she did many moons ago for Tea? Or shall she ninja over to her house, and litter the space beyond her window with butterflies?

Indi mumbled and grumbled and wracked her brain. She shuffled her feet and walked along the world's streets, searching for inspiration.

Towns asked her, everywhere she went, intrigued by the girl with the autumn-red hair:
"What are you looking for, little foxling?" asked Budgewoi, sunny and blithe and determined to make Indi that way too.
"What ever is wrong, my dear red riding hood?" asked earthy Toukley, its op-shops twittering with concern.
"Why so down and distant, little imp?" asked busy Sydney, rather unaccustomed to little travellers, walking so slow.

"I can't find a gift for my friend Ess." replied Indi, "I can't find anything!"

"Why do you want to find Ess a gift?" asked the towns and cities, confused.

"Because it is Ess's birthday." said Indi.

"Her birthday!" Exclaimed the towns and cities.

They began to whisper to each other, and the trees and stones caught their whispers in passing on the breeze, and passed it on to all the hills and valleys, and soon the whole wide world was buzzing about Ess's Birthday, and Indi was wading through a growing tide of excitement.

Then, from far and wide, the towns and cities and beaches and bushlands began to send Indi little tokens for their beloved Ess, and Indi began to gather them up. From mines and oppurtunity stores, beaches and street corners, from strangers and childhoods long ago, came an array of treasures, each for Ess, because the world loved her very very much.

And Indi gathered them all together and put them in a little box. She wrapped the box in brown paper, and tied it with twine, and sat it on her table. She added a few offerings of her own, and kept them all together.

Every day, Indi looked at her gathered treasures, and every day, the world's minds flickered back to their offerings where they sat on Indi's table, waiting for Ess to discover them.

And one autumn day,

in the future, some time,

Indi will give them to Ess

and hope they make her very happy indeed.




With love.