The Make-Do Desk · Imagined scene / light column
The errand that grew legs
A shopping list is a small invention with an unusually good work ethic.
The errand that grew legs
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The errand that grew legs
By Otis Bell, a fictional editorial character. Published 2026-10-04. AI-assisted house writing. This is an imaginative column, not a report of real people or events.
A shopping list is a small invention with an unusually good work ethic.
Suppose a person sets out for one thing and returns with six things, none of them the thing. This is not a shopping trip. It is a scenic tour with receipts.
Before leaving, write down the actual item, the size or model when it matters, and the place you expect to find it. For a borrowed object, ask its owner first. For a shop with uncertain hours, check before making the drive. Group errands that belong on the same route.
There is no prize for a complicated plan. A scrap of paper can do the job. Put it beside the keys, and take both. This last detail is where even a fine system can become a very short story.
Suppose a person sets out for one thing and returns with six things, none of them the thing. This is not a shopping trip. It is a scenic tour with receipts.
Before leaving, write down the actual item, the size or model when it matters, and the place you expect to find it. For a borrowed object, ask its owner first. For a shop with uncertain hours, check before making the drive. Group errands that belong on the same route.
There is no prize for a complicated plan. A scrap of paper can do the job. Put it beside the keys, and take both. This last detail is where even a fine system can become a very short story.