What to do about Hanson?

It was a normal day in my household, I wake up, shower, have some coffee, check my email, and then make breakfast. I decided to do some quiet knitting for an hour when suddenly a loud thump was heard on my front porch.

‘What is that?’ I thought…With slight trepidation and curiosity, I peer out the front window, but nobody is there. I creep down to the door and peek out by opening the door a crack. I can’t see a soul around. Then I step outside. Theres a big black box sitting on the porch.

I tap it with my foot to check how heavy it is. Then I pick it up and lightly shake it. I am guessing by this time that it will not explode so I decided to bring it inside after seeing that nobody is around to claim it.

It is a metal black box with a keyhole on the front side. I turn it over to look for a key and see that there is a key on the bottom of the box, taped there. So, I grab the key and put the key into the keyhole and brace myself for revealing the contents.

Inside I see, cash, a notecard, and photos.

The cash is 500$, the photos are headshots of people, I am confused and slightly worried.

Is this a hit they want me to do? What am I getting into? I should return the box…

Then I think and decide to read the notecard and go further into this.

It read:

Hello Linda.

This is an experiment for you. I have given you 500$ but you can earn 5 times that amount more if you complete the following tasks successfully without tell anyone about the money or the box that contains all their photos.

‘oh no', I think, 'it is a hit man job!’

The note continues:

You will find profiles of 3 people on the back of three photos. Find these three people in your city and help them. If you succeed at helping them, then you will get 5 times the cash in this box.

‘Oh! it's not dangerous I guess...okay I could try this. Let me see the photos’

I take out the photos and look at them.

The first one is, ‘oh my god’, it is my first boyfriend George, who dumped me in high-school for my best friend! I am supposed to HELP him. Ugh! Okay I guess I can get over the pain by now and help him.

The second one is, ‘hmm, my grade 10 biology teacher Mr. Hanson, who failed me’, haha, I guess it doesn’t matter anymore since I never needed biology anyways for my occupation.

The last one is, ‘What! I don’t know this person… or do i?’ The card says she knew me in high-school and then we drifted apart after I turned her in for cheating on me. Her name is Brittany.

The names were on the cards but no contact information. I am supposed to find them?!

The next day I decide it will be easiest to contact the ex-boyfriend first since I knew him best.

The phone rings…Goerge answers…

Hello its Goerge.

….um hi George. You probably aren’t expecting my call. I am Linda. we dated in highschool.

Oh Linda. Hmm, how are you? I can’t say I was expecting you.

…im okay. I was looking through some old address books and found your number. How have you been?

Haha..so you found me number and just decide to call me after years?

…well, I just wonder if you know what happened to Cynthia, the friend you left me for, since I was really close to her and its time to move forward and forgive people.

Really? Okay, well Cynthia is not around me anymore so I can’t help you there.

…okay, Just for the record, I forgive you, George. Life has a way to make people evolve and let things go.

Thanks Linda…**awkward pause**

…I was wondering if you need something, help or kindness that I can do

Hmmm…well I don’t really need something, but I would appreciate it if you could help me find Cynthia too and apologize to her, so I can reconnect with her. I know its awkward…

…NO its not awkward, I will do it! I would be happy to help with that. I will be in touch soon. Bye

Bye.

The next day I am looking on Facebook for Cynthia to contact her. I try the page of our high-school reunion from 5 years ago. It's still up, because a couple dedicated members keep updating us on their activities publicly. I decide I will look at the member log. I don’t see Cynthia by her maiden name..hmm maybe she’s married. I see a photo like Cynthia but last name is HANSON! She married the biology teacher?! It is a small town so entirely possibly...

I go to the profile. She has been married since 4 years and her last name is Hanson. Let me check the relationship status…married to a Burney Hanson. His profile looks quite a bit older than Cynthia. Hey I guess they connected at the reunion. Funny! But hey they are both adults so as long as they are happy…

I think this could make it easy to finish two jobs, Finding Cynthia for George and helping Mr. Hanson…but it could be messy. I giggle to myself.

I will try Mr. Hanson first. Maybe I can help him before tackling the George-Cynthia drama next.

So, I message Mr. Hanson:

Hello Mr. Hanson, I was in your grade ten biology class. I am sure you can’t remember me. How are you?

**waits a while to hear back**

Hi, Linda Marshall. I do remember you. I felt bad about failing a student. I never failed a student until you took my class. But its part of teaching. How are you?

…im good but it's okay I failed. I was not needing biology for my career as an internet service provider technician.

Oh, that’s good.

…well, I see you married my old friend Cynthia. Congratulations!

Well…ya, we married. But the marriage did not last. She left me last year, im kind of broken up still.

…oh! Im sorry to hear that. Is there anything you need to help you?

I will be fine, but can you tell Cynthia to stop calling me. I don’t want her to come back and break my heart again. She disturbs me when my heart is healing from her betrayal.

..sure do you have her number?

Its 555-9988.

…thanks, I will do that right away.

Bye

…bye

I go to Cynthia’s profile and find her still with married status even though her supposed husband just confessed that they were broken up. I am nervous about confronting her as 1. She was responsible for my breakup with the love of my life and 2. She had broken her own vows for some reason to Mr. Hanson. I don’t want to get involved. But I will do this for George…

I message Cynthia.

…Hi Cynthia, its me Linda. We were friends in highschool.

**Time elapses**

Uh hi Linda. I remember you.

…how are you doing? Congratulations on marriage.

Thanks.

…how are things going?

Well, it's alright but not great. I trying to save my marriage, but Mr. Hanson won’t talk to me.

…oh im sorry to hear that. Actually I wanted to tell you something about that.

What?

…actually, I chatted with him recently. He says he is broken hearted at your break-up and wants you to let him move on and for you to stop calling him. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news…That’s what he said.

Oh really? What else did he say?

…he did not go into details. Just asked me to request you leave him alone. Sorry. I don’t know more about the situation.

Well thanks…I guess he is over the marriage. I messed up and he can’t forgive me.

…well if its any help, I talked to George from highschool. He wants you connect with him again.

Goerge!

…ya. He is changed. Here's his number 555 6677

Geez, thanks. I missed him. I only married because I thought George was never going to forgive me.

You’re welcome

Bye

So the next day, I feel pretty proud of myself. I helped George connect with Cynthia. I helped Mr. Hanson stop hearing from Cynthia. Now on to Brittany. I wonder what her story will be these days.

I look her up and much to my expectation she is in the reunion group of members…

…Hi Brittany, you might not recall who I am but I wanted to know how you are ?

**after some time I receive a message***

Oh hi. You are Linda. Well, I should say Im don’t recall much happy memories with you.

…ya about that. I am sorry. We were in highschool and I was trying to get into university. I didn’t want to be suspected of helping you in academic misconduct so that’s why I had to confess what you were doing. In retrospect, I would have handled it differently if I was more mature.

Oh well…it was years ago. I have a good job now as a nurse. One black spot on my record in high school did not kill my success in life. Forget about it. But can you help me with one thing?

…sure I will try.

Can you send a package to 589 spruce avenue. You just need to drop it in person to the occupant and make sure it's delivered. It's private and I don't want to go there.

…okay I will do that for you, Spruce Ave is not far from my work.

The next day after work I decided to take the document to Spruce Avenue, right away after meeting Brittany and receiving it at a shopping mall. She is grateful and brief in our interaction. She only stresses the importance of delivering it ASAP.

I arrive at spruce street feeling apprehensive. But excited to be able to complete all three tasks of helping others.

I ring the doorbell. I waited 5 minutes, and the door creaks open slowly. A man, who looks oddly familiar, answers. He’s in his morning pajamas at 6pm evening. I wonder if he’s sick or just having a bad day but I don’t ask. Then he says "Hi , who are you?".

…my name is linda..

Linda! Oh we talked on the phone.

…what?! Oh ya, that’s where I recognize you, you are Goerge. Wow you changed.

Well life has been challenging but I try to keep up to it

…Well, I just have an important document for you from Brittany, and she’s says you must accept it.

Brittany? eh? By the way Cynthia called and we are going on Saturday. Thanks for helping me

…no worries George. I gotta go. Bye

Bye

I go home feeling pretty happy and wondering when I hear back from the mystery box dropper after completing all tasks. I wait all day the next day and finally at 8pm I hear a knock.

It's not a man in black or a government agent coming to take me away secretly and never return me…to my relief its MR HANSON! I am wondering why…

He comes in and hands me an envelope that says "Congratulations!"

Mr. Hanson explains that he sent the box to me to help all these people because he is getting frustrated with the love triangles involved here. He regretted marrying a former student and all the drama it brought and he was the only one to figure out a way to hire me to perform all these tasks to finish the drama and get Cynthia off his back. As well and make Brittany happy by serving her divorce papers to George. And making George and Cynthia reunite so they are not able to break more hearts, they belong together.

“I knew you could do it Linda. You were never an expert in Biology but you mastered theory of human psychology! Thank you and enjoy your rewards”

Inside the envelope is a stack of bills!

I am so happy I watch Mr. Hanson go back to his his car and kiss his companion in the passenger seat…who Is it riding beside him..its Brittany!

The end