Chapter 9 - THE CAGEWhen Claire was seventeen, police released the metal cage from evidence.
Ryan received a call asking what he wanted done with it.
His immediate answer:
Destroy it.
Then he asked Claire.
Her answer surprised him.
“Can I see it?”
“Why?”
“I don't remember how small it was.”
They went together.
The cage sat in an evidence warehouse.
Smaller than Claire remembered.
She stood beside it.
“At six, it felt huge.”
Ryan said nothing.
Claire touched one bar.
Then pulled her hand away.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Destroy it.”
Ryan nodded.
No bonfire.
No dramatic smashing.
It went to metal recycling.
A week later the facility sent routine disposal confirmation.
Claire laughed.
“That's it?”
“What did you expect?”
“Music.”
Ryan smiled.
“Life has disappointing production values.”
They went for burgers.
That was better.
The cage became metal.
Perhaps part of a pipe.
A car panel.
A shelf.
May you like
Who knew?
An object lost its meaning when people stopped requiring it to carry the story.
