This came from the prompt: what is an inanimate object trying to tell you?

Messages

He says the microwave is talking to him.
What’s she saying, Henry?  She says,
“Noli me tangere.  The last person
may have been exposed.”  She says
it’s time to work from home.

We have no microwave at home;
our toaster oven serves us very well.
“Don’t take me for granted,” toaster
protests, “I can only do what I can.”

Does the second line sound familiar?  It’s a quotation from Finian’s Rainbow.  The boy Henry interprets the message of the mute dancer.  A traveling company performed the musical in my high school auditorium in my youth.  Some things stick for a long time, reappearing when least expected.  That’s one of the deep pleasures of writing.

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