Page 77 - some-stuff-i-wrote-and-some-stuff-i-didn't-(2011)-h-morris-williams

Some Stuff I Wrote and Some Stuff I Didn't (2011) H. Morris Williams

A growth on her hand she thought was cancerous turned out
to be harmless. On and on, there was good news at every
turn.

Naturally Miss Annie was thrilled and she told her story to
every one in our neighborhood over and over again. “ Chain
letters really do bring you good luck if you will just do what
they say.”

During the next month, as Miss Annie’s good luck was
continuing, my school year was fast coming to a close. On
the last day of school, our teacher told us to clean out our
desks, turn in our books, and take home our personal
belongings for the summer.

As I was cleaning out my desk, I found an overdue library
book, a little poem I had w ritten-and Miss Annie’s 10 chain
letters I had neglected to mail!

Confusion hit me like a rock! I didn’t know what to do.
Should I tell Miss Annie I hadn’t mailed the letters? Or just
throw them away? Or mail them a month late?

I dreamed up bad consequences no m atter what I did, but I
finally decided to mail them on my way home and I did.

As I neared Miss Annie’s house, I could overhear her retelling
some neighbors yet again the story of the happiness the
chain letter had brought to her life and, as always, she
emphasized, “You must be sure to mail the letters within
one week to get your good luck.”

But, I thought, actually her letters hadn’t been mailed within a
week. I had just mailed them— a month late. Yet, she had
gotten all the good luck as if she had mailed them within a
week. How could you explain that?

Could she have gotten the good luck because she believed
she would get good luck? Was it her confidence in the chain

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