Footprints on the Moon

I came home from work this afternoon to find a surprise in front of my apartment door, and the following letter:

April 22, 2008 (Earth Day)
Jennifer,

Your frog has been mentioned by the people who clean our lobbies as the most deteriorated mat at (apartment complex). I said I had thought of buying you a new mat, but thought that there must be some sentimental value. I looked for another frog, but didn’t find one. I hope you like the cats. Maybe the frog could be made into a wall hanging? As I write, it’s been some time since I’ve seen it, but it seems to me the problem was more with the backing than the top side.

Uncle Jim

Accompanying this letter was a new door mat with cats on it, which I didn’t get a picture of. Hmmm… I don’t know what the problem was with my old door mat…

Okay, so maybe it was time to give up the ghost, but there WAS some sentimental attachment to it. Even I had to admit that it was time, and since my uncle (who is also a maintenance man here) went out of his way to buy me a new one I felt like I couldn’t put it off any longer. I could have pulled off the backing that has managed to come loose, but the rug was much worse off than even the picture does justice.

I thought about holding on to it for awhile longer, but I just couldn’t justify it, not when I’m trying so hard to weed out all the extra junk I’ve held onto for years. Even as I’m writing this though, there’s a small twinge that makes me wish I hadn’t… it’s just a rug. It’s just a rug. It’s just a rug. *small sigh*