Gee and I were snuggled tight together in the brown cardboard box. I was excited because it was my first assignment until I was recycled for use again.
I was bubbly! No pun intended.
Gee and I were becoming best of friends. I learned what factory she had came from, how clean she was and how perfect her shape was. I figured that when you were wrapped around someone for about twenty hours you would learn a little something about them.
I knew we were coming to a close end to her new relationship when I felt the slight tip and lift of us. We were banging against something as we moved. All of a sudden, a loud BANG and I knew why Gee needed me so much.
Out in the distance I heard a voice yell, “Watch out! That’s glass in there!”
“My bad, boss.” a closer voice said.
“Bring it in here. Put it on the counter.”
That’s where I assumed we were going. We were tilted once again and then softly thumped this time on a surface. There was a ripping sound and then there was a bright light. The folds on the box creased down and one by one I saw my cousins and uncles be grabbed and hauled out, wrapped around their own glass.
When it was my turn I squeezed tight on Gee. As soon as we were released I saw myself being unraveled from Gee. This was not the part I was warned about. I was not ready to leave Gee, my new best friend. I couldn’t tell the people that so instead I watched them place Gee on a table with others just like her. I was moved in the Recycle bin. From there I watched Gee.
Even though all the glasses looked the same I could still notice Gee. She looked more finely trimmed and shinier than the others. If I could, I would smile right now at her.
I was still content in my box where i monitored Gee until they began placing the glassing up, up, up hanging on their feet on a rail. When the man got to Gee he lifted her up but she didn’t make it all the way. The man brought her to him and inspected her. He stopped at a certain spot and I think one of my bubbles popped when I saw the thin crack from her base to stem.
I was bubbly! No pun intended.
Gee and I were becoming best of friends. I learned what factory she had came from, how clean she was and how perfect her shape was. I figured that when you were wrapped around someone for about twenty hours you would learn a little something about them.
I knew we were coming to a close end to her new relationship when I felt the slight tip and lift of us. We were banging against something as we moved. All of a sudden, a loud BANG and I knew why Gee needed me so much.
Out in the distance I heard a voice yell, “Watch out! That’s glass in there!”
“My bad, boss.” a closer voice said.
“Bring it in here. Put it on the counter.”
That’s where I assumed we were going. We were tilted once again and then softly thumped this time on a surface. There was a ripping sound and then there was a bright light. The folds on the box creased down and one by one I saw my cousins and uncles be grabbed and hauled out, wrapped around their own glass.
When it was my turn I squeezed tight on Gee. As soon as we were released I saw myself being unraveled from Gee. This was not the part I was warned about. I was not ready to leave Gee, my new best friend. I couldn’t tell the people that so instead I watched them place Gee on a table with others just like her. I was moved in the Recycle bin. From there I watched Gee.
Even though all the glasses looked the same I could still notice Gee. She looked more finely trimmed and shinier than the others. If I could, I would smile right now at her.
I was still content in my box where i monitored Gee until they began placing the glassing up, up, up hanging on their feet on a rail. When the man got to Gee he lifted her up but she didn’t make it all the way. The man brought her to him and inspected her. He stopped at a certain spot and I think one of my bubbles popped when I saw the thin crack from her base to stem.
“Boss! I got a cracked one!” The man yelled. The man’s eye that examined the glass reflected through, he looked so hard.
“Let me see.” A shorter man walked in and snatched Gee from the other. He examined the glass and then exhaled, “damn. Now we’re short one glass. We can’t use this. Stupid wrap never gets the job done.” After he said that I was pretty sure I felt something inside me. It was the feeling you get when you felt like you let someone down. If I had shoulders and I could turn them I think I would see the backs of my so called family.
I knew I probably wouldn’t be reused. But, as I looked at Gee I noticed she won’t ever get used. No bar wants a glass that does not look professional. It didn’t matter if Gee was the brightest glass or the most perfect glass ever. That small chip, which I blamed myself for, was going to ruin her personified life.
The worst thing ever happened just then. The short man whipped out a square device with silver buttons on it. He put it to his face and began talking. “Yeah, so. We’re down a glass. A chip in it. I swear, bubble wrap is useless and pricey. Best looking glass too. What do you want me to do?” There was silence and then the short guys eyes bulged out of his head. “We can’t do that. I don’t care about qualification or anything.” Silence and then a stern, “whatever.”
The empty glass was meant for me to be protected. Now, that bar would be down on their new shipment of glasses. There’s a whole lot of things that could be blamed. I know for sure that it would be my fault. An empty glass that wouldn’t be able to see a drop of liquid. An empty glass that wouldn’t experience that machine that washes automatically.
I blame myself, bubble wrap, who should have protected that empty glass. Who would want to be empty their entire life? I watched the short and angry man hang up his phone and looked at the glass and when he looked over at the blue bin in the corner I was glad I didn’t have eyes he could see. He muttered some harsh words and then there was a big shatter when I watched with my own eyes Gee, the empty glass that would never see juice, water, soda or alcohol, shatter.
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