The Rejection Garden Tree/Story 6 MAILBOX

             The Rejection Garden is less about rejection and more about creativity, persistence, and joy. 

Over the next month, I am going to share one Tree or Manuscript with you, not in its entirety, instead, 

I’ll post a synopsis, how many times it has been rejected, and then, 

I’ll finish with my favorite line and include a picture of the tree and name tag. 

"Remember: when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong." - Neil Gaiman

Tree/Story 6- MAILBOX

    There are two reasons I wrote this story- one, every day I walk. One day, passing and old red mailbox across the street from a house where the older woman has just died I began to wonder, what would happen to it. Will a new family move it? Will it sit empty? Will it be replaced? Would it be lonely if it is no longer used?

    Then I started thinking about a critique partner who is caring for her two old and ill parents and all of the grief she encounters daily... and that's when BOX's voice popped into my head.

    Here is the pitch: Empty. Rusted and dinged, BOX is more than a place for mail. Love, loss, family, and unexpected twists illuminated by an unconventional voice bring "heart" into focus.

    I LOVE this story. It is sad, sure, but it is beautiful and the POV is unique and lyrical.

    My favorite line? The beginning and the end for me just get me.

    "Useful.  

Rusted. 

Dinged. 

With hinges that creaked, 

and a yawning door that crunched open and closed. 

Box loved being a safe place for important things. 

He also loved his sport on the side of the road where he could watch the world pass by."

"...he tried holding laughter,

but Box wasn't good at holding laughter.

It liked to bounce around his insides, 

then wiggle out around his dings and dents.

But for her...

...he would try."

This story has been sent out 3 times, with 3 rejections or rather no responses. 

Shocking, another Japanese Maple, but this one lived in a pot for about 10 years, and no matter where I put it, it wasn't happy UNTIL... I planted it here in my #rejectiongarden

It's thriving and fabulous. Just like BOX.