This Little Light of Mine

Story Sent in by Chris:

I work at a company where we print personalized messages onto pens, keychains, tumblers, or just about anything else. Businesses and some people use them as little promotional giveaways.

I was telling Jenny more about this as we took a walk after dinner on our first date. She had asked about the sorts of things that we printed on, and then asked if I had any examples on me.

I pulled out a little key ring light and gave it a squeeze. It lit up a small patch of ground and I waved it around. "Little things like this—" I began.

Jenny snatched the light from my hand and said, "Enough with the light," and stuffed it down the front of her pants.

"Why did you do that?" I asked her, reasonably sure that I no longer wanted it back.

She replied, "You've been flashing it around all night. That was the only way to stop you, and I couldn't put it someplace where you'd be tempted to grab it back, like my pocket. So now it's mine, and I'll return it when I see fit."

I said, "I only took it out once, and that's because you wanted to see the sorts of things we personalize. You can keep it if you want to. I can grab a hundred more tomorrow."

She replied, "And I'll stuff them all in my pants if I have to."

I said, "If you wanted it, you could've just asked me for it. I would've given it to you."

She said, "I don't want it. I already have one like it. I just wanted you to stop flashing it around for the hundredth time tonight."

"I only showed you once," I said, "Just now."

"I'm sorry. I'm not giving it back."

"It's okay. I'll have a box of five hundred of them by tomorrow morning."

She became more upset. "You just kept flashing it around. You wouldn't stop!"

"It's okay," I said, backing away, "It's yours."

She started to cry. "I'm not giving it back! Not now, not ever!"

"Keep it!" I said, "And maybe we should call it a night."

"You didn't need to keep taking it out, over and over, and showing me again and again. I don't even want it," she yelled, then pulled it out and threw it on the ground. She then stomped on it several times. "I don't like it, and I don't like you!" she finished, and then ran off.

I watched her go, then scooped up the poor light from where she had assaulted it. It still worked. I went home.