Goodbye Etch-A-Sketchum

You tracked upward with one knob and sideways with the other and sometimes tried a diagonal line. With more dexterity than most, you imprinted your image across my gray matter.

I carried it around with me, carefully, trying to keep you intact there.

But through some loss of focus or distraction or inattention your fingers slipped, or maybe you were tired of the toy. You made a mess you couldn’t fix, and it’s now my task to shake it away. I watch with some sadness, some fascination as the shape of you disappears in a metallic haze.