Dusty Sweeps Clean

Dusty, despite being old and worn, stood proudly in the corner of his owner Lane’s mind. He was a duster who took pride in his job - he saw himself as doing more than cleaning. His mission, which he had chosen years ago, was to rid Lane’s mind of all the clutter the day had left behind.

The feather duster, having been at Lane’s service for years, understood the toll a mess could have on Lane’s mind. He made it a special point to sweep it clear of the doubts, fears, and worries that ailed it.

Part 2

But even old feather dusters grow mottled and overused with time. Lane’s mind had become hopelessly cluttered, with more and more vague memories filling the room. A slew of half-finished ideas rushed to accompany them, piling up like dust bunnies in Lane’s utility room.

Dusty decided that the time had come for drastic action. Lane’s mind needed deep cleansing and a fresh start.

Part 3

Dusty set about his work, sweeping Lane’s room in a frenzy. As stroked the tables and cabinets, he chanced upon a stubborn memory - that of a conflict that Lane had with his cousin years earlier. They had argued over a triviality, and even Lane himself couldn’t remember the circumstances. He knew, though, that Lane had to dust it off himself, whether he liked it. It was the only way he could create more space in his head. 

Part 4

Dusty knew that the memory of the conflict was to poignant to throw away. Lane had to address it himself. Dusty left it in the center of Lane’s mind where he could see it. 

And Lane did. As he visualized his cousin Frank, the young man didn’t understand why he had an urge to call him. 

“Hello?” His voice was tentative.

“Lane?” Surprise took Frank. Lane hadn’t spoken to him since the argument had taken place two decades earlier. He, too, had almost completely forgotten what it was about. But he knew that the grudge Lane had borne had stayed with him for years.

There was an awkward silence over the phone for a while. Then Lane finally spoke. “Er......I just haven’t seen you for a while. Shall we meet for a coffee the next time you are in Kingston? I know you work here.”

“Sure,” Frank was quick to agree. They had shared too many basketball and video game memories to put aside over a petty tiff.

“Ok then, I’ll call you.” Lane hung up. A smile slowly crept over his face. He grabbed his notepad and jotted a reminder. 

Part 5

Slowly, Dusty swept the vestiges of ‘dust’ that the trivial argument had left behind. He found himself with less to do as Lane’s mind cleared. He stood in the corner of Lane’s mind, quietly admiring his handiwork.