Once upon a time, a black plastic bag lodged in the corner of a yard. At some point, a gust of wind inflated it, so that it appeared to be a black balloon.
A neighbor walked by and noticed this round black bag behind a chain link fence. She wondered how long the bag would remain inflated.
For days, for weeks, for months, she continued to wonder, because the black bag never seemed to change.
Winter came. Finally, some rents and tears appeared in the plastic. With spring, a few weeds poked out.
A For Sale sign went up. The yard was cleaned, but the workers never touched the bag.
A Sold sign was posted. People came and went. Through all that activity, the black bag sat in its corner. The weeds grew bigger.
People moved in. An old dog named Sammy roamed the yard. He never looked at the black plastic bag. Nor did the new owners.
Summer rains came. Now elm branches stretch out of the bag. and the bag is a black collar around the growth. Eventually the elm tree will call attention to itself, but the common little black plastic bag will be ignored.
The walk-by neighbor, who writes books, wonders about the plastic bag’s secret. She would like to remain unnoticed while she writes.
But the very act of writing, demands readers. That means, being noticed. What’s the easiest way to get noticed?
Notice us!
Kate Harrington 