I Found a Knife In the Desert

I Found a Knife in the Desert Folks chucked trash in the desert for 10,000 years. The knife, perhaps not dumped, but lost? The blade, seven inches long, years encrusted with winter desert mud, hardened by summer desert sun. An antler handle, faded and cracked. I wash and sand the desert off, sharpen the blade. The bent tip is straightened with hammer blows; Though straight, the blade has wrinkles. I fill the crack in the antler handle. I spray the antler handle with lacquer. An inscription: “Meridian Cutlery Co”, a tiny anvil above the name. Curious, I search for Meridian Cutlery. The knife, once a 100 year old carving set, missing his fork companion: Together, they carved Thanksgiving turkeys. Robert Mäder-Kammer 8 July 2018 When I saw the knife, I thought how much it symbolized my own mortality. I’ve lost weight, and am walking and trying to stay healthy. I can have a better quality of life than if I had remained stuck in my food addictions. But, I still have the wrinkles, skin, body and closely approaching death of someone who has lived 70 years.