telegram (a) · sometemple

found · pinned to the back of a kitchen drawer

TELEGRAM · POST & CABLE

N · — · 03 · 47

DO NOT WAIT / THE LIGHT IS WRONG / THE NORTH ROOM IS NOT EMPTY / TURN OFF THE KETTLE BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE DOOR / IF I AM LATE SLEEP WITHOUT ME / DO NOT WALK AS FAR AS THE BRIDGE / BURN THE SECOND LETTER / END

— · UNSIGNED · —

held under a tin of salt in the parlour, the corners curling. the sender's office had closed by then. no second telegram followed; if it did, it did not arrive. it is the kind of message you give to silence to keep.

see also · telegram (b) · telegram undelivered · a letter · bridge · custodian