Uncle Harold.

Tap, rattle, tap, rattle. 

“I’m sorry to bother you sir, but perhaps by chance this wouldn’t be the office of Jenkins and Franklin law firm.”

“Why yes, by chance it would. Is there something I can help you with?”

“Of course. I’m Jeremy Fox, here’s a copy of my birth certificate to verify it. I have an appointment. I’m sorry that I’m late, but I had trouble finding your office, due to the lack of signage.” 

“No signage, yes that’s very problematic. Great suggestion, here write it down on one these post it notes. Great things they are, just big enough to make a mention of it, without getting lost in the details. That’s the boy, pop it up on the board.”

“Whoa! That’s a lot of them. Too busy to get to them?” 

“No, no not at all. I’m colour blind.”

“Huh, being colour blind shouldn’t stop you from reading them.”

“Yes I can read them all right, but without their colour, I never noticed them.”

“Umm.. your lift out of order.”

“Yes, it’s never in order. Now Jeremy, here’s the last will and testimony of your late uncle Harold G Fox.”

“It’s on a post it note.”

“Yes, printer broken. Needs replacing, but the lifts is out of order. Once the lift is in order, I’ll print out the official documentation and send to you.” 

“How long will that take?”

“Dunno, how long is a piece of string?”

“Twice as long as it is from the centre.”

“Very astute, I see that you don’t miss a trick. Any way from the last amendment from a couple of months ago, a post it note is you need.”

“Oh really!”

“To my last living relative, my nephew Jeremy Fox, I leave a neck tie and my favourite suitcase.”

“That’s it! Surely there’s something else?”

“No, I don’t think he had anything else. He liked to gamble. He left them with me. Here they are. I see you have a collar shirt on, with no tie. Try it on.”

Jeremy put the tie on, not the double Windsor though. He felt a little bit weird wearing a dead man’s neck tie. But everything was weird.

“You look dignified, just like Harold. Here’s your the suitcase, it’s a lovely tartan. Not really the thing these days, give it a couple of years and it’ll be back in.”

“What am I going to do with this?”

“Go on holiday with it, perfect timing as it’s not holiday season. The stars are really aligning.”

“I can’t open it, where’s the keys?”.

“Keys? No there’s no key. I know a locksmith. Actually I don’t, I know a plumber, locks aren’t his things. Sorry can’t help you.”

Jeremy broke down a little. 

“Oh I feel a little bit regretful, I was going to see him more. I got busy. Life got in the way. If visited him more I could help with his gambling problem. I wish I knew.”

“I sure if you did visit him more, he would never of told you. Never live with would off, should off, could offs. Write what you intend do on a post it note, and you’ll never forget too do it.”

Jeremy compose himself and took himself off to lunch, with uncle neck tie and suitcase. 

“Thank you for your time, is it Mr Jenkins or Mr Franklin?”

“Mr Jenkins only on a Tuesday.”

With that Jeremy walked out of the office, and made his way down the stairs. The building look like it had that two landlords that had had a family feud fifty years ago, and have never made an amends. 

Jeremy trundled into a cafe that looks like one of many franchises cafe, that tried their hardest to look like one of those one off, bespoke artisan coffee shops. 

“Order for Jeremy! 30mls hot water with an expresso shot, and dash of coconut milk. With a chicken cranberry and Brie sandwich.” 

“That’s mine thanks.”

“Going on holiday sir?”

“Nah, just something my uncle gave me. Keep the change.”

“It’s on it the card, oh… very funny. Enjoy your meal.”

Balancing a coffee, a sandwich and suitcase Jeremy waddled toward a table.

“Tim.”

“Jeremy. What’s with the suitcase?”

“Yeah, don’t ask… You know that uncle that recently passed away?” 

“The rich uncle?”

“Yeah, the rich uncle with a gambling problem. Well this suitcase and this necktie is what I inherited from him.”

“Did the other nephew get the money?”

“Nah, probably would of if he had another.”

“Close to him.”

“Yeah, nah. Sort of. Best friend till I was twelve-ish. Then he got rich, and things got weird between him and dad. Lord knows what it was about. It just meant he didn’t want me spending time with him.”

“Any thing in it?”

“Yeah, it feels like some kind of book. But I can’t open. I don’t have the key. I’ll break it open at home.”

“Maybe the key is in the tie.”

“That ridiculous! Why would say that.?”

“I had a uncle who put his house key in his tie. Humour me.”

Jeremy did so, it just so happened to be that sort of day.”

“Well I’ll be a monkey uncle, here it is. Look, I don’t feel talking. I Couldn’t make it to his funeral, so I’m going to go to his grave to pay my respects. I might open this up there. Bye Tim.”

“Bye Jeremy.”

There at his uncle’s grave Jeremy sat with his suitcase. Opening it carefully. There inside was a photo album. With post it notes On it.

“Dearest Jeremy.”

“I regret that I have not left you with any inheritance.”

“I became old, lonely and resentful.” 

“Gambling was I Could do to feel anything at all.”

“I don’t blame you for not visiting me.”

“As I no longer have any endearing qualities left in me.”

“This photo album is the one thing I don’t regret.”

“These are my fondest memories of spending time with you.”

“Please cherish them. Much love uncle Harold.”

As Jeremy opened the photo album. He started to tear up a bit, and then let out a smile.