What did I do to deserve this?

What did I do to deserve this? I come to work on time-ish. I answer emails in a timely manner. I finish projects efficiently on time. When people need help, I help. When people need assistance with a project, I assist. When someone is off, I pick up their duties on top of my ever growing daily job list. Because I am a team player, a respectable coworker. Even with all of that on my plate, it is still not enough, it is never enough. I am constantly feeling overlooked, underappreciated, overworked, and underpaid. I am exhausted, and today seems no different, or so I thought.

Today started off like a normal day at work, until about 4:30pm, when the Universe conspired against me and wanted to test my already thin patience. Any project, task, or email that could come in, did, all with only 30 minutes of work left. I just put my head in my hands, gave a huge sigh, took a deep breath and got to what I could with the time I had left. Everything else would have to wait. 5 o’clock finally comes, I gather my coat, purse and work bag, clock out, say goodbye to my coworkers, and make my way to my car. Walking closer and closer to my car, I notice a black book tucked underneath my windshield wipers. There was no note attached to the book, or anything written on the cover; it was a just plain little black book. I looked around to see if someone was watching me from another car in the parking lot, or from somewhere else, but there was no one. Strange, and yet curiosity got the best of me, and I picked up the book, got in the car, and drove home.

Arriving home, I brought all my things in, and the book. How odd, how random to find a plain black book on your car. I proceeded to inspect and investigate the journal, flipping through the pages. No name, no contact, no information, no writing. The pages were blank, and felt new. But as I went to shut the book, writing appeared on the first page. Am I seeing things? I know there is nothing written on the pages. Maybe I’m tired, that’s why I’m seeing things. I’m not that tired where I am imagining things. The pages were blank, I looked through this entire book. Now, at this point, you are probably thinking I should have burned the book because that is definitely a recipe of paranormal activity, or something supernatural going on. I was somewhere in between totally freaked out and intrigued. Weird place to be.

I had to get my glasses to see; I knew my vision was playing tricks on me these days but not to this extent. I put on my glasses, and all they did was make the words clearer and sharper to read.

“Write down what you need and be ready to receive.”

I read the statement a few times and concluded that this must be a practical joke book; a book filled with disappearing reappearing invisible ink, if that is even a thing. This couldn’t be real, I mean who finds a random little black book on their car, opens it, finds nothing, and then words just appear? When does that ever happen? In a fantasy or sci-fi movie, perhaps, but not in real life. All what does that even mean, “Write down what you need and be ready to receive.” Was this a fortune cookie book or something?

I placed the book on the coffee table, and intended to take a nap because maybe I was just tired, but as I laid in bed, I kept thinking about the words on the pages, “Write down what you need and be ready to receive.” I got out of the bed and went back into the living room where the book laid on the coffee table. I opened it up again and there were the same words, “Write down what you need and be ready to receive.”

I thought to myself, “Why not? What would it hurt?” Taking a pen out of my purse and settling down on the couch, I wrote the words, “I need a vacation.” Thinking nothing of it, I closed the book, shrugged and went to the fridge for something to drink, something stronger than water.

A few minutes go by, one glass of wine in, and a black envelope appears under my door. Now this is getting really weird. At this point, I should call the cops or something because what in the hell is going on? I pick up the envelope, open it and inside is a flyer, saying, “Congratulations, you have won an all-expense paid trip to Jamaica!” This is freaky. This can’t be happening. This is a joke, a cruel joke. I read the flyer of what the trip entails and there is a number to contact and a link to register online. I first call the number on the flyer, and I am greeted by Todd of the Manifest Destiny Travel Department of Manifest Destiny, Inc.

“You have won an all-expense paid trip to Jamaica for 7 days. Your flight is also paid or. All you have to do is fill out the information on the link on the flyer, pick a date and soon you will be relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Jamaica,” says an enthusiastic Todd.

“Do you take me for a fool, Todd, if that is your real name? You work for the Manifest Destiny Inc.? Is this a joke?” I replied back, very irritated. “I mean honestly a trip to Jamaica, all-expense paid for?” What happens next sends a chill up my spine. “Our records indicate that you have received a black book, and a black envelope, is that correct?” I freeze a little bit because how could Todd know about those things? “How did you know that?” I ask, my voice trembling with every word.

“No need to fear. We are glad to have a new owner of the black book. We want to honor our creed and give you what you need. I can walk you through the process of registering for your flight and trip to Jamaica. Would you like me to assist you?”

“Yes, please,” I say, shakenly. My eyes start to well up, and I swallow a lump in my throat because I feel myself about to cry hysterically. But I open my computer, log in, go to the link on the flyer, and Todd helps me through the entire process. I leave in three weeks.

After the phone call, I sit down, stunned by what happened to me. What did I do to deserve this? I am in utter disbelief that I am going to Jamaica, and yet overjoyed. I look back at the black book and wonder since I wrote down that I needed a vacation, and received one, what else I needed. I started thinking long and hard. I don’t want to be too greedy and ask for random things just for the sake of receiving things. I take stalk of what is lacking in my life and I start writing:

I need a friend to talk to.

I need money.

I need love.

I need a better job.

I need to live life.

I closed the book, and went to sleep. When I woke up, more surprises. First, I checked the front door again, and received another black envelope. Inside was a check for $20,000, made out to me. I nearly fainted. Then, I checked my phone and I received a text message from my friend, Devin, from college who said that he was in town and he wanted to get together for drinks and talk. I got dressed and ready for the day, left for work, and took the book with me. The entire day I thought about how I became so lucky overnight. I performed my tasks with a little more joy in my heart today, and not as exhausted as usual. 5 o’clock came, I clocked out and I headed to the bar to meet Devin. I hadn’t seen him in ages, and I always had a crush on him. Devin looked the exact same since college, like time had completely missed him, and we got back into our conversation groove quick. Devin was the friend I needed to talk to, and turns out he was the love I needed. Devin told he was moving to the city because of a new job, and after hours of catching up on each other’s lives, he finally confessed that he had feelings for me and wanted to start a relationship. I told him the feelings were mutual, and we would take our relationship slow because we had all the time in the world.

On the drive home, I was on Cloud 9; I couldn’t believe any of these things were happening to me. But it was, and I just needed to accept it.Opening the door to my apartment, I found another black envelope, nearly falling over with how eagerly I reached down to pick it up. All inside was a business card with the company name “Manifest Destiny, Inc., and a number to call. I turned it over and it had Todd’s name written, and words underneath, “Quit your job. Work for us. You will start living life, I guarantee it.” Something told me to not question this as I had with the other surprises I have been getting. I picked up my phone, called the number and said, “I’m in.” Todd said, “You start tomorrow. All you have to do is leave the black book on a random person’s car.” Todd gave me the address to report to work, said he would see me in the morning, and hung up. I fell to the ground in tears, I couldn’t believe it. I cried, overjoyed; all I needed was being given to me. What did I do to deserve all of this? I called my boss, said “I apologize to inform you so suddenly but I quit, effective immediately.” My boss wanted to see if there was anything the company could do to make me stay but I had already made up my mind. There was no turning back now.

The next morning, before reporting to my new mystery job, I went to a random office park and chose a red SUV car to put the book under the windshield wipers.. I looked in it one last time, and all the writing had disappeared and it looked brand new. I smiled as I walked back to my car.

I pulled up to a mysterious looking black building, in the middle of the city, walked inside, got on the elevator, pushed the top floor button, and went up. As the elevator doors opened, I was greeted by Todd. “Welcome to ‘Manifest Destiny, Inc.’ where we manifest people’s destinies. We give them what they need. Are you ready to live?”

Todd showed me to a corner office, full of windows, a great view. There seemed to be only 5 people working there, all cheerful and telling me welcome to the team. Todd said he would be back in 5 minutes so I could take it in and then we would be ready to work. I sat down at my desk, not knowing what was to come next, looking out my office window, smiling and thinking, “What did I do to deserve this?”