Letterbox

Kim’s reservations about the young man’s ability for independent thought ratcheted up several levels. This specimen had clearly evolved quite a bit farther than the passive spare parts product she had envisaged. 

She wondered what the return policy was. She didn’t really have any practical grounds since there wasn’t anything obviously wrong with the item. In fact, she’d got exactly what she ordered. More than she expected, if anything. And what would happen to him if she did send him back? The thought of folding the young man back into the box and winding it round and round with unbreakable tape and calling the courier to come and collect it was not a pleasant one.

The snapping rattle of the letterbox made her jump. Something heavy had been pushed through and hit the mat on her side with a noisy thump. Kim rose and headed out into the hall, curious to know what had been delivered. Picking up the heavy packet she read Solution A written in large black letters on the outside. She opened the front door in time to see her neighbour, who lived opposite, going down the path.

‘Hi - Josie, did you just put this through the door?’

Her neighbour turned and hurried back with a smile.

‘Hi Kim, yes, it was me. I found that on the pavement just outside your gate and as it had your address on it, I thought perhaps the postman had dropped it, so I popped it through. Lovely day isn’t it? Nice to see the sunshine after all that rain…’