As the low tide of the River Thames in London revealed more of its shore, Jasper, a magpie, positioned himself for a better vantage point. Soon, the shore will reveal treasures lost in time. A glint in the sunlight catches his eye! In excitement, Jasper stretched out his neck and opened his eyes until they were bulging out. Jasper then pinpoints exactly where he needs to land and when he is done with his calculations, he spreads his wings and takes flight to claim his treasure. As Jasper strutted up to investigate the glinting object, he discovers it’s a glass bottle, with a rolled-up paper inside. The morning sun glints off the green glass bottle, making it wink at Jasper like a friendly eye. After examining the bottle, the clever bird works out how to remove the cork with his beak.
Jasper wasn’t your ordinary magpie. His glossy feathers shimmered with an iridescent blue-black sheen, like oil on water, while his white chest gleamed as pure as fresh snow. When he walked, he strutted with dignified grace, his long tail bobbing like a gentleman’s coattails. His eyes, bright as polished amber, missed nothing. Unlike his more skittish relatives, Jasper carried himself with a confident poise that made him stand among other birds.
Jasper tenderly picks up the neatly folded paper in his beak and heads off. Every morning, Jasper would perch on a wooden windowsill, and a lady named Mrs. Thompson would open the tall library window, its ancient brass handle squeaking a familiar greeting. Jasper would arrive every day, landing on the windowsill that had been smoothed by decades of books resting there. She’d greet him with a gentle “Good morning,” and he’d respond with a soft warble that sounded remarkably like “hello.”
Mrs. Thompson had a unique taste. Her silver-streaked auburn hair was always twisted into a neat bun, secured with pencils she could grab whenever inspiration struck. She wore flowing cardigans, each decorated with embroidered patterns of books and leaves. Her round spectacles perched on her nose like a butterfly ready to take flight, and her laugh sounded like wind chimes in a gentle breeze.
Seeing Jasper, Mrs. Thompson smiled and gladly opened the window with its ancient brass handle. Jasper dropped the paper in front of Mrs. Thompson, who picked it up and unfolded it, realizing it was a note. As she read it, her facial expressions evolved from smiling to a long-distanced look. Mrs. Thompson, touched by Lucy’s note, decides to start a “River Pals” program, connecting young readers along the Thames through letters. Soon, the library window became a spot where Jasper watched children writing to their new friends, including Lucy, who now has multiple pen pals.
When new messages in bottles appear along the shore, children joke that Jasper must be running his own postal service. Little do they know, he actually checks that stretch of shore every morning, just in case another lonely friend needs connecting.
Written by Olivia Guan from Downingtown, PA
