The Fridge Magnet Question

The refrigerator door is a sacred surface, and it demands careful thought. Most are covered in magnets, photographs and notes, a collage of other people’s expectations. Where do we begin?

We begin with the lowest magnet. It is usually a pizza shop number, or a small plastic banana. We study it. We tap it once. It clings. This is the magnet’s lesson: attachment is stubborn. But with a firmer touch, the magnet comes loose, and with it comes everything it was holding, a dentist reminder, a child’s drawing, a coupon expired in 2023.

The door, now bare, hums with possibility. The floor, now full, hums with cardboard. All is as it should be.