Saturday's Storyteller: "I've had this bath towel for fifty-two years."

by Belinda Roddie

I've had this bath towel for fifty-two years. It's pretty fucking threadbare, and it's seen a lot of shit. And I mean living with three lesbians, going to multiple beaches, used during a pregnancy shit. But you know what? It means something to me, and it sure worked as a beach towel when I was six. I've gotten a lot taller since then, though.

See, I hope you can enjoy those things for years, too. Looks like you've got a crocheted dragon shawl - nice. Keep it clean and pretty. How about that stuffed cat your uncle's mom made ya? Pretty swell; have you ever given it a name? And just wait until you dig through your own attic and find little goodies and memories by the handful. They could even fit right in your pocket. I know you have a blue chest in your bedroom with journals and trinkets - don't lose 'em.

See, nothing's permanent, least of all material shit. But what we keep - it means something. Call us wannabe hoarders all you want. But in this world that's been burning since I was a kid? Sometimes, the sentimentality's all you've got.

This week's prompt was provided by Paul Kilzer.