The Folded Clock: A Diary

Chapter 54: October 10

Today I got an e-mail that said, “Good luck, pursecake!” This was the nicest e-mail I’d received in months. Who knew me as “pursecake,” besides myself? And not even really myself? I’d had to change my usernames recently, because my old ones no longer worked. I chose “pursecake” because it makes me think of my daughter, for whom we once made a purse-shaped cake, sort of but not entirely because she loves money.

But who was wishing me luck? And luck with what? With my hearing test at the ear doctor’s? With the swanky party I was attending later that day, and where I hoped not to make myself look a fool? With remembering to pay my speeding ticket before my license was suspended?

I checked to see who had sent me this e-mail. eBay had sent it. eBay was hoping that I’d win a vintage tuxedo shirt I’d bid on. Good luck, pursecake!

I should have felt deflated or idiotic, but I didn’t. It didn’t matter that the e-mail came from eBay, and that eBay was not a person. People’s sincerity is sometimes not totally sincere. There are complications, modulations. People who wish you luck in winning don’t always totally want you to win. eBay wanted me to win. eBay also wanted other people to win. eBay wants everybody to win! When eBay really wants everybody to win, the real winner is eBay. The sentiment was sincere. eBay wanted me to win this shirt. I did.