This piece is dedicated to my friend Joe @lyttlejoe

I must have been about twelve.  I'd been playing ball and had run home for a drink and when I saw that box on the table I was sure there would be something very special inside it for me. 

Now I was a tad miffed when I looked inside that box.  I had been thinking maybe there would be a thunderbird, a catapult or Lassie.   Well, nothing of the kind!  All I found was a clothespin, a subway ticket and a broken compass.  And what would I want with that sorry lot!  Well, I put the clothes pin in my jacket lapel for safety, the compass in my pocket and tossed the subway token up into the air and caught it back in my palm.

Well that token would at least get me form Union to King and back so I thought I might as well make use of it.

Union station looked impressive, as it always did, with its enormous stone pillar frontage, it made it appear like a Roman temple.   Now I'd never taken a subway journey on my own before so it was a little daunting  but I was determined to see it through.

Inside people meandered here and there, walking with purpose, this way and that.  I spotted the machine where I needed to put my token and headed toward it.... but, unfortunately I was confronted by a sign. Out of Order! 

I could feel my previous annoyance simmering under the surface one again. I made my way to the ticket office to exchange my token there and joined the queue.  Now I had a gap of time for this trip and I knew if I were too long my parents would start to worry and worse still I could get grounded if they asked questions and found out where I'd been.   So I was frustrated when the woman in front of me spent ages arguing with the man behind the counter about late trains, subway prices and seat availability on the carriages.  Meanwhile the man behind me was invading my personal space and his brief case kept banging into the back of my leg; I think he was trying to bully me away.  Now when you're young and on your own some people are caring and others think you are a subspecies that deserves to be the final link in the pecking order chain, seen and not heard or better still not seen either.  He I guess was the latter.

You will understand that by this time I was both miserable and annoyed, which led me to do something quite out of character or, some might say, react childishly.  I took the clothes pin from my lapel, gave a hesitant quick look from side to side, and as the man behinds briefcase banged into the back of my leg for the umpteenth time, I jabbed that pin straight into the bottom of the woman in front; as hard as I could in a quick sharp movement. 

Well she screamed! And as she spun round I agilely stepped aside.  I caught a smug look on the man behind turn to bewilderment as he thought he'd won the battle of forcing me out of the queue but didn't know why the woman had cried out.  I looked up at him with an expression of innocence, bewilderment and astonishment that I had practiced long and hard with my parents when trying to get my brothers in trouble and me out of it.  At home this was not so convincing because my brothers understood the art of shifting the blame as well as I did. 

Therefore, the woman obviously thought the man had assaulted her and started an argument with him ten times worse than the one she had had with the ticket office attendant.  In fact she was now hitting him with her handbag and he was cowering away. 

While this was going on I managed to skirt around the woman and quickly exchange my token for a return ticket.  I hurriedly left the storm I had caused. I could hear the language they were using and it  was not for the ears of a young boy;  besides, I'd heard all those words before up the soccer pitch. 

The subway was busy as was the train but a haven of sense and normality compared with the mealie I'd just left behind.  

Standing room only, my hand clutched a grab rail to stabilise me as the train hurtled around the track.  Absentmindedly my other hand turned the broken compass in my pocket. I departed the subway train at King and decided to have a quick look around before I journeyed back. 

Not too much of interest really, except most places seemed to be selling food or coffees.  I guessed that was normal for people who needed a quick bite or caffeine boost on the move.  But seeing those places sure makes a boy hungry.  

I fumbled in my pockets  and brought out the 76 cents that I knew I had on me. A sigh of resignation   Every boy always knows exactly how much money they are carrying and that sure wasn't  enough for a burger or even a shake.   And they sure wouldn't barter this old busted compass. 

For the first time I scrutinised it; it's needle was off it's pivot, useless.  I found that the top unscrewed, although reluctantly, so I took it off.  The piece of paper with the directions on it was loose, so tapping it on my hand that came out too.  Then I noticed another piece of folded paper jammed in there.  Spirits rising I used the needle and poked out a weathered ten dollar bill.  I couldn't believe it. Enough for a double cheeseburger and a strawberry shake.  Beaming I walked straight into the burger bar called  'Shake It All About' and enjoyed my feast.

As I ate I thought about how you can scatter a little magic with the smallest most obscure things.  I wondered who put them in that box.

After eating I got the train straight back to Union then ran as fast as I could from the station to my house; bursting into the house banging the front door behind me. 

My mom was just inside the door, 'Hi, you look hot, she smiled at me. 

I wondered if I was in trouble.

'Just been running mom', I was economical with the truth.

I was half way up the stairs when I heard her shout, 'Oh Grandad rang, he said be sure to ask you... Did you enjoy your trip?'