WORD FROM THE KNITTING GODS

There I was.

I had mostly finished my rabbit---from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I need pink mohair for the ears.

I had run out of Casacade Chunky Baby Alpaca for my scarf, and needed more.

I'm still afraid of my Jaywalkers---will there be enough yarn?

So I rummaged around, pulled my size 2 double points, and cast on a sock with the Essential tweed from Diane. It's a cheerful blue dubbed Marina, and the little flecks of color make it look like a birthday party. This yarn, I decided, wanted to be a Ribby Sock. I already have a red pair of plain stockinette socks, so this was going to be ribbed all the way down the leg. I was working out of Ann Budd's book, the Handy Book of Patterns.

The phone rang. I put down my good 3 inches of the Ribby Sock.

"Hello, blah-blah-blah, may I ask who--"

"Hey, it's (name) I'm stopping at Happy Garden, you want something?" It was my sister---no one else dares interupts the polite spiel I rattle off whenever I pick up the phone.

"Sure. Get an extra egg roll and General Tsos."

"Ok."

I laid the phone aside. Knit, knit, on the Ribby Sock.

An uneventful call.

But one that would change my life.

A good deal longer than pleased me, she finally arrived home, bearing the damp scent of a rainy day and hot Chinese food with her. I needed to finish my row, and as I did so, she called from the kitchen.

"There's only one fortune cookie!"

I made as if I would wrench it from her, but I didn't care. After all, it was just a fortune cookie. Right? I heard the crackle of the wrapper, and saw the indifference on her face as she read in a bored tone,

"Finish your works on hand. Don't be greedy."

I put it in bold, because I'm sure it came straight from the Knitting Gods themselves, whoever they may be. If I had to guess, they'd probably be along the lines of the gods in Douglas Adam's one book, about a down and out detective who is waylaid by bunches of annoying and astonishingly human 'gods, such as Thor. Amusing book, but not really a stunner.

In any case, I gasped, and staggered back. My sister raised her eyebrows.

"It's....my knitting! The rabbit-the scarf-the sock!" I was channeling William Shatner as I managed to stagger towards the egg rolls.

"Yeah. Whatever."

I pulled out a Diet Coke. still pondering the impact that this message would have on me, my life.

And after finishing the Chinese?

I worked on my Ribby Sock.