Quote:
The Wishing Tree (1): A Destiny City Star Festival Tradition to be held every year; In Town Square, there is a beautiful tree with spreading branches. It is tall, but the lowest branches are easily reached. The city has decorated the tree with small, starlike ornaments and glistening lights. Thick leaves and beautiful purple flowers dangle from the branches, along with a myriad of different colored papers with handwritten wishes. Next to the tree is a stack of blank paper with twine attached, and a handwritten sign that explains:
Write your wish on a sheet of paper and tie it to the tree. Take one wish off the tree and do your best to grant it. When you have granted the wish, bury the paper in the park.
The papers are biodegradable and filled with seeds. There are no rules for wishing, but you are encouraged to wish for something vague enough that it can be interpreted in many ways so that it can be granted; you do not write your name on it, but it is encouraged to write something that doesn’t wish for self gain, but rather something that can make the world a better place. Some wishes dangling from the tree already include things like “I wish there wasn’t so much litter in the park,” “I wish someone would clean the graffiti off the old historic buildings,” and “I wish there were more volunteers at the shelter.”
If you choose to use the Wishing Tree, what do you wish for? If your wish is private, you may write it on the paper and choose a spot in the park and bury it yourself instead of hanging it on the tree.
Write your wish on a sheet of paper and tie it to the tree. Take one wish off the tree and do your best to grant it. When you have granted the wish, bury the paper in the park.
The papers are biodegradable and filled with seeds. There are no rules for wishing, but you are encouraged to wish for something vague enough that it can be interpreted in many ways so that it can be granted; you do not write your name on it, but it is encouraged to write something that doesn’t wish for self gain, but rather something that can make the world a better place. Some wishes dangling from the tree already include things like “I wish there wasn’t so much litter in the park,” “I wish someone would clean the graffiti off the old historic buildings,” and “I wish there were more volunteers at the shelter.”
If you choose to use the Wishing Tree, what do you wish for? If your wish is private, you may write it on the paper and choose a spot in the park and bury it yourself instead of hanging it on the tree.
June 24, 2020
They knew he could hear them talking, how could he not hear those whispers? The worst part was when they’d asked him, as an off handed last minute thing, if he wanted anything for lunch as well - they were ordering food. Somehow the topic of food had come up and someone had decided they should order food for everyone in the pharmacy, Indian food, and it did sound good to him - really good. But he knew they only asked him because he could hear...and they didn’t want to be outright rude. But he knew they didn’t want to offer him food, even if he would be paying, so he shook his head. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t feel the need to.
Larkin would be lying if he didn’t say it hurt when the food arrived, by delivery, and it was taken to the break room where everyone would grab their food to eat when they went on their break. He went out to get food for himself, not wanting to be in the breakroom with that food, it was just a typical day for him. A reminder that he didn’t belong, and it continued throughout the day.
When he finally got to clock out he made a beeline right for the backroom to grab a bag from his locker, he’d brought some things with him today, and hurried for the employee bathroom. The ‘key’ was a coin above the door which he used to unlock it and let himself in. Inside the bathroom he changed into something other than his work clothing, since he planned on going out before going home, and there was no way in hell he was going out in his work clothing. He worked for CVS in the pharmacy but he was not proud of it, not like some people might be, it was just a job for him. Something he slaved away at and came home from in need of an escape, there was little to no pleasure in the job and it was lonely. The only pleasure he had was in helping customers with coupons for their scripts when they were expensive.
Once he’d changed Larkin hurried himself for the front doors to get a bag check and leave, keeping the bag in his arms where it covered them. He didn’t like to let the people here know anything about him. He kept his life, and even most of his personality, to himself. The fact he had ink on the inside of his left and right arm were for him to see - not them...none of them.
His bag peeked into as well as the pockets to his scrubs and he was making his way outside the store and into the humid night air. It wasn’t just humid but there was a mist in the air that was heavy enough you could feel it and breathe it in. It wasn’t bad though - he liked fog, he always had.
The car ride home was interrupted by a pit stop made to the city's wishing tree. He didn’t know why he was visiting the tree but he was. Parking a block away he made the walk to the tree and stood there, just staring, for several minutes just watching the tree and the few people hanging around putting wishes onto the tree and removing others. Finally he pulled the bit of paper out from his pocket, he’d written it out before leaving his car, and tied the little wish onto a low hanging branch. He was just wishing for people to be nicer to others. It was a simple wish but it was something he wished for himself and for others.
Once his own wish was tied to the tree he was careful in picking one to pull off, it was one which seemed separate from the others - like all of the ones around it had been taken already. Plucking it from the tree he went to pocket it for now. He’d read it once he got to his car and then he’d figure out how to grant this mysterious person's wish. He just hoped it was something he could do.
It was curiosity that had him unfolding the slip of paper before he even got to his car. Reading over the wish, as he got to his car, Larkin was almost relieved by what he saw. They wanted people to help out at animal shelters - so the animals felt loved and cared for even while waiting for a forever home. It was sweet and caring. It was something he could do, though he hoped it didn’t result in him bringing home a pet. It was something he could find some time to do.
Unlocking his car he slowly climbed in and set the slip of paper into the cupholder, next to the starbucks tumbler filled with water from before he went to work, and buckling up he decided to head himself home. He had things to do and a trip to a shelter to figure out.
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