What use a bag of old keys?

What use indeed.

Keys are interesting objects. They are vital to us when the lock they open is still in use but become junk as soon as the locks are changed. Somehow I could never bring myself to throw them out. Thus I have accumulated a jangling bag full of the things.

They are tactile objects. Put a hand in the bag and feel the rough and smooth edges. They make sound when they rub against each other. And they have that distinctive smell carried by old metal objects. A smell of subtle corrosion, I suppose.

Today the keys are getting an outing. In an hour I will be taking them into town to a writing workshop for adult dyslexics. We are going to be constructing stories together and the keys are going to help. A key is a good starting point for many a story. And I am happy to say, we won't be writing any of the stories down. This will be story craft done in the old way.