#28 - Outlawries Bill

Gracie discovered the object on her walk home from school, abandoned at the edge of the sidewalk, where the grass and dandelions had grown tall. Though she knew no name for the object, nor where it came from, nor what its purpose or use might be, she felt strongly that it was broken.  Or perhaps that it had once belonged to, or had been attached to, something larger and more complex. The impression of brokenness was not due to any jagged edges or evidence of trauma, but rather because, looking at the thing, she couldn’t imagine how it could possibly be useful on its own. It looks sort of worthless, she thought. This was no doubt the reason it had been abandoned. However, kneeling down on the asphalt, she picked it up and placed it into her book bag.

When she arrived home, Gracie emptied the contents of her bag onto her bed; a lunch box, a chapter book titled The Yellow House Mystery, her pencil case, a nearly empty water bottle, and the object. She carried the object to the bathroom, washed it in the sink, and dried it with a towel her mother said was for guests only. Once finished, she returned to her bedroom and placed the object in a prominent position – at eye level – on the wooden bookshelf next to the door.

In the kitchen, she found her mother peeling carrots. For a moment, she stood at the counter and watched the paper-thin slips of carrot curl up from the peeler’s edge and drop to the cutting board.

“Mom,” Gracie said, “Do you want to see the thingy I found?”

Her mother looked at her. “What is it?” She asked, before continuing with her work.

“I don’t know what it’s called. It’s just a thing.” Gracie said. “It’s in my bedroom.”

“After I finish I’ll come look.” Her mother said.

Gracie waited on her bed. When she heard her mother’s footsteps, she went to stand near the bookshelf.

“What’d you find?” Her mother said from the doorway.

Gracie gestured toward the object on the bookshelf, like a tour guide at a museum. Her mother stepped into the room to see.

“This thing, here?” Her mother said, picking up the object.

Gracie nodded. “What’s it called?”

Her mother looked at the object from every angle, turning it in her hands. “I think,” She said, “It’s a tool of some sort. But I’m not sure what for – or what to call it.”

“Do you think it’s broken?” Gracie asked.

“I’m not sure.” Her mother said. “But look at this.” She pointed to one end of the object’s narrow metal body, where it tapered off and became thinner. “It looks like it might slide into something. Maybe it’s supposed to connect right here to another thing.”

Gracie reached up and took the object from her mother and began studying the tapered end. “Do you think Dad will know?” She asked her mother.

“He might.” Her mother said. “He probably will.”

Her mother returned to the kitchen, and Gracie sat on her bed with the object on her lap. She stared at it for a long time until she noticed something new. On the side of the object, stamped into the metal, was a small symbol. It wasn’t a letter of the alphabet, she was certain of that. She took it to the kitchen to show her mother, but it meant nothing to her, either. “Wait for Dad to get home.” She said.

Gracie went to her room and read The Yellow House Mystery on her bed until her dad came home from work. She met him in the living room with the object in her hand.

“Do you know what this is?” She said, holding it high for him to see.

He was talking on his cell phone with someone. He glanced down at her and then raised his finger to his lips, hushing her.

“That’s just Brian.” He said into the phone. “I guess I’m used to him by now. I’d take it with a grain of salt, really.”

Her father thoughtlessly reached down and took the object from her. His eyes were focused on it, but she could tell he wasn't really looking at it.

“Sure, sure.” He said. “Yeah, you too.”

Finally, he hung up the phone and looked at Gracie and then at the object he was holding. “What’s this?” He asked.

“It’s the thing I found today. Mom doesn’t know what it is.” She said.

“Let me see…” He said, looking at it closely. “You know what I think it is?”

“What?”

“This is a conversation starter.” He said, handing it back to her. “It’s something people keep around their house so that when friends visit they’ll ask, ‘oh, what’s this?’ and then a conversation is started.”

“What does it do, though?” She said, standing squarely in his path, blocking him from going to the kitchen to see her mother.

“It doesn’t really do anything. It used to, maybe.” He put his hands on top of her shoulders and gently moved her out of his way.

She caught up with him in the kitchen. Her mother was setting the table. Her father gave her mother a kiss and said, “Did you get my message?”

Gracie dropped the object on the kitchen counter, next to the sink. “So, if this doesn’t do anything, it’s sort of trash, right?” She said, sighing.

“Not necessarily.” Her mother said.

Suddenly, Gracie remembered the symbol imbedded on the side of the object. She snatched it from the counter and said, “Dad, look at this!”

He took it and examined the symbol. “That might be Chinese.” He said.

“Really?” Gracie said, pulling his arm down so she could look with him.

“This might be some sort of old relic – some ancient Chinese weapon or something.” His eyes were wide.

“Really?” Gracie said again.

“You never know.” He said. “If I were you, I’d keep it around.”

The object rested beside Gracie’s plate during dinner. She kept touching it, turning it over. She couldn’t stop looking at it. “Do you think it’s worth a lot of money?” She asked. Her father only said, “You never know.”

After they finished, she returned the object to its place on the bookshelf. Over time, it became a part of the landscape of her room, collecting dust, and becoming visibly-invisible. Weeks and months later, the only time Gracie thought of it was when a friend came to visit, and noticing it, asked, “What’s this?” 

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To learn more about the Outlawries Bill (though it's a bit dry if you ask me), read the original Wikipedia article HERE.