Truth

 Write about a souvenir you have bought or received.

It is a small mermaid figure carved out of a dark stone. I found it in some tiny shop in a touristy boardwalk town. It looked cute.

"Be mindful of that one," the shop lady told me while I was looking at it. "It shows the truth."

I chuckled at the bit of mystical salesmanship. I brought it to her, she wrapped it in paper, and I paid. The vacation was otherwise uneventful. 

After returning home, I placed the figure on a shelf with other knickknacks from my and my wife's travels. I promptly forgot about it for the next three years.

We were redecorating the living room when that old mermaid figure drifted back into my mind. I imagined it would look good as a centerpiece for the new coffee table. I was carrying into the living room when I asked my wife if the chicken was taken out to thaw.

"Yeah, it's in the sink," she replied.

False.

I felt the sense in my mind. She was not telling the truth. I sighed, and asked why she was lying.

She was about to say something, but instead settled for a frustrated look. She got up and walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, I guess I forgot."

True.

That was odd. I felt it again. This time she was telling the truth?

"Sorry about that. Still you shouldn't've called me a liar, mister!"

True.

I stared at her for a beat, then looked down at the stone figure in my hand. I looked back up.

"What's wrong?"

(written 2021 January 17)