There was a time when we lived right next to one of the busiest streets in town. It feels like an understatement to say we lived within walking distance of the grocery store, the 7-11, and the office supply store where I had worked for a year during college. It was hardly a walk at all. If we needed one more onion to make dinner, pints of ice cream or bags of gummy candy to sate cravings, or resumes printed, we could get what we needed in the space of only a few minutes. Sometimes I miss it.

I wish I could remember exactly what it was we were at the office supply store for that day: someone needed the right pen for a drawing, a specific kind of battery, or maybe they needed to print a clean Dungeons & Dragons character sheet. It was almost certainly a small, immediate need. But I was there for company, since it was always worth it to come with–we were always making fun out of nothing on the way and in the aisles when we got there.

Having spent a number of long, dull hours at this particular office supply store, I knew it was always worth passing my eyes over the clearance section. Occasionally, you could find a solid pair of headphones or a sturdy new notebook for a pittance. There wasn’t much of interest there that day, which is perhaps why I was so attracted to the thing I did pick up.