The Kettle

            Alexis Gallagher

         February 19th, 2026

Writing prompt: write about an everyday object that has magical powers or comes to life

The Kettle

  Traveling around to various yard sales is a favorite pastime of mine. One Saturday it was a cool spring day. It was the kind of day perfect for a hot drink from your local coffeeshop. I was at a garage sale.

 “Morning, this is an estate sale.” the woman behind the cash table said as she greeted everyone who came to browse.

  As I was walking through the aisles of various items: silverware, china, lamps, random nik naks, stuffed animals, china dolls and a seemingly shiny new stove kettle. I slowly reached for the kettle watching my reflection in it. How strange to see something completely new looking when everything around it looked aged. I took the kettle up to the table and paid $5 for it. With my unexpected purchase I made my way to the bus stop and rode home.

  While sitting on the bus with the shiny kettle that felt strangely warm in my lap I gazed out the window. The unexpected purchase reminded me of the camera that I bought at my first yard sale adventure. The camera felt steady in my hands as I took that first picture of a crow. I was sitting on a bench on my wooded forest river walk when the bird quietly appeared next to me. As it was getting ready to fly off I caught the image just in time. I felt my hands get cold. Looking out the window I realized that my stop was next.

  When I arrived home I filled up the kettle and placed it on the stove. Opening the mug cabinet I pulled out my crow mug. I turned on the stove. The whole stove setting felt old school since most kettles nowadays are electric. It was calmimg. While waiting for the water to boil I got a chai tea out and placed the bag in the mug. The water made a loud whistle as it finished, when I filled up the mug the steam had a strange chocolatey smell to it. Holding the hot steaming mug between my hands I went into the sun room facing the backyard and sat down in a rocking chair. Taking my first sip as I sat looking out the window watching the scenery in the yard. I heard a dog barking in the distance. Looking around the yard I noticed a black lab sniffing around the garage. The dog and I made eye contact. It started to make its way to the back door of the house like it lived here. The dog coming toward the house made me smile. I felt like it wanted me.  

  Hearing a loud crack of thunder and noticing rain starting to pour down. I looked around the yard for the dog but it had vanished fast. I grabbed the book on the side table next to the chair and started to read ‘The Poet’ by Michael Connolly. 

   When I finished reading a few chapters the rain finally stopped. I got up, grabbed my raincoat and camera and went for a walk to the local dog park. Once I arrived at the park I took a deep breath with a fresh wet grassy smell. Feeling calm I pulled out my camera and took some pictures of a husky playing near a tree, a black lab (my dream future pet) by a pond. Something looked familiar about the lab by the pond and the one by my garage earlier as our eyes connected briefly. I noticed a rottweiler hanging out on a bench while its owner read the paper. As I looked up in the maple tree above I spotted a flock of crows that started making lots of noise. I snapped a photo. Night was coming, I felt myself getting cold so I made my way home from the park.

  Once I was home again I filled the kettle up with new water. I grabbed my starbucks seattle mug and got a creamy earl grey tea bag out and placed it in the mug. The kettle made a loud bubbly noise near the end. As I poured the steaming hot water into the cup I noticed a peachy smell almost like a peach cobbler. I took the mug into the den and sat on the couch. Pulling a brown fleece blanket over my lap I took a sip of the tea. I felt the warmth envelope me.  

 I had a favorite cream colored fleece blanket that I would curl up in my loveseat when I was a teenager. Having my own little private tree house condo my dad had built I was able to spend my time high up in the trees. There was a robin's nest in the red wood nearby, and a chickadee nest in the willow tree near the stairs. I watched the crows take over a racoon nest outside my bedroom window.  

  Feeling nostalgic I turned on my laptop and watched a national geographic documentary about bluejays. As the documentary was ending my cell phone started buzzing. I glanced at it and noticed it was work calling. When I answered the interns were wondering about food.

  “Hi, we were just checking on what food to feed the eagle?”

  “The eagle gets mainly fish, tuna and salmon with a rat or mouse occasionally. I will be in tomorrow to check on it.”

  “Thank you!” they replied before hanging up.

  I made a list of things that needed to be checked before the eagle could be released. Holding the pen between my thumb and index finger while lightly touching the palm I put it down after making the list. Feeling tired I made my way to bed.

  The next morning it felt chilly, almost like it was ready to snow. I made my way to the kitchen after getting dressed for work. I filled up the kettle and put it on the stove. Grabbing a starbucks to go mug and an irish breakfast tea bag I poured the steaming hot water into my travel mug.

   I walked to the train station on my way to work. Once on the train I had an hour ride into the suburbs. Pulling out my journal I watched the morning world wake up and go by as I looked out the window. While sipping my tea I jotted a few things down. Where I wanted to live in the future with my current lease coming up to an end. Having a yard for the labrador I had put an application in for. Having lots of trees in the backyard so my future child could one day have a tree house and enjoy nature as much as I do.  

  As I got off the train, I took a last sip of my tea. While walking to work from the train station I put my hand on my pregnant belly.