Russ Fitzgerald

The accessory

Something was loose in the shipping carton. I clearly heard it shift when I carried it to the kitchen table. Something was moving, something smaller than a guitar in its case. There was no obvious damage to the box, so I slit the packing tape and tipped the contents onto the table. The fabric covering showed lots of old wear and tear, but there were no visible holes or dents. I took a deep breath, popped the latches and raised the lid.