Life, Stacked on the Table 

Truth and Dare is a curated monthly column in our Features section. In this experimental series, we present a prompt to writers and invite them to respond with a short piece of fiction or non-fiction. There are no restrictions on genre or form, only the challenge of engaging with the prompt in whatever way it leads them.

We are curious to see how this prompt evolves as it passes through different writers. Perhaps every writer encounters invisible prompts — those quiet provocations that become the spark for a creative journey.

We look forward to discovering what writers make of this prompt, and the surprises they bring back for our readers. In the end, the truth lies in their responses; the prompt is simply the dare.

The first prompt is: Things I didn’t Throw Out

Setting out to write this note made me look at things which might not  have returned to my mind otherwise. This isn’t a sentimental journey, but a plain recall. I’m not looking at the notion of ‘Things I Didn’t Throw Out’ figuratively, but in a literal sense.

First on my list are memories. A tricky thing. Some stay. You can’t throw them out, even if…