the rubber chicken circuit

yesterday the mail woman gave me an enormous package, 'enormous' meaning i could easily fit inside it. she said it arrived last week while i was away. it was all taped up, and my name and address were handwritten on the side. the return address was just initials from someplace in iowa. i don't know anybody in iowa. ok, ok - i know a few people in iowa, but nobody in that town, with those initials, or who would be sending me an enormous box.

since the name and address were correct, i took it - but not into my house - it stayed in the hall for a few minutes while i decided what to do. it's embarrassing to admit how much it freaked me out. eventually, i sliced the tape. inside was a bunch of balled up newspaper - not newsprint, but a paper with ads and everything. this was even a little MORE unsettling, because it was clearly from an individual and not a company.

....worked up the courage, cussed a bit, and pulled out some paper. buried inside was the folding wooden chair that my movers lost in september. no note, no indication of how the individual got my name, address, and phone number (on the ups slip) - nothing. the person undoubtedly spent more than the chair was worth to return the it to me.

so, my plan. when the movers did not deliver the folding wooden chair, they DID deliver two small folding wooden plant stands. the easy solution is to mail those back to the iowan (although they're likely $1.50 each at ikea and not worth shipping cost). but how do i know the iowan is the rightful owner? HOW, in fact, did the iowan know that the chair was mine?

therefore, my plan is to send something random to the iowan. something lighter than a wooden chair, but still 'normal', such as tupperware, a macrame plant hanger, pot holders, or a wicker basket. or, even better, i could just choose a random third party to whom to send the plant stands or other items. a letterless chain-letter just for sending random items with marginal utility around the world - a rubber chicken circuit!