Little Yellow Ticket

Sticking out of the little drawer in my car’s dashboard is a little yellow ticket from the dry cleaner. I keep it there so it will not get lost. It is supposed to remind me to pick up the clothes. I see it as I sit in the car, and tell myself I will stop at the cleaners on the way home. In this same drawer, I keep my outgoing mail. I face the letters stamp side out. I tell myself I will mail them when I get to the store with the mailbox out front.

Needless to say, upon my arrival back home, as I pull the lever into park, there is the little yellow ticket. I forgot to stop at the cleaners. I will have to get there tomorrow. That is, if I can remember. Under the ticket, is the stamped mail. I could put it in my mailbox at the end of my driveway and pop up the flag. But that means it won’t get picked up till afternoon. I can do better than that. I’ll be sure to mail it in the U.S. mailbox in morning when I am out. They pick up at nine am. That will be faster.

Wedged in the cracks of my steering wheel is a note. Occasionally, while waiting at a traffic light, I will think of something important. I will find a scrap of paper in the storage area in between the passenger seat and mine and write in big letters, “Call the babysitter” or “check when library books are due.” When I get home, I will be sure to take the note inside and put in next to the phone, so I will make that important call.

I remember the essential things. I make myself a calendar on the computer, where I fill out events and dates. It is posted on the fridge. I consult it every morning, and it keeps me on track. I remember to pack snacks in my kid’s backpacks. I remember to pick them up from school on Wednesday so we they can go to their lessons. But as for getting myself to the dry cleaner on the way home, well that might take a few days. So if you see a little yellow ticket sticking out of my dashboard, please remind me to pick up the shirts. And if there is a letter under that, please tell me to put it in my mailbox.