✦ A Gate Adventure
Closed for Now
One very emotional afternoon. A little note. And a dragon agility school nobody saw coming.
Peek through the mail slot ↓01 · A note through the gate
The Story
Jenny had errands to run.
There were places to go, things to pick up, and an entire afternoon that apparently hadn't received the memo that she was having a very emotional day.
Because Jenny was crying. A lot.
Something had happened that brought up big feelings, and she wanted Dan to understand what she was experiencing. But opening the conversation right then would mean opening all those feelings, too. She could already picture herself crying somewhere between the cereal and the peanut butter, then driving to the next errand and crying some more.
Good grief. She was exhausted just imagining it.
She didn't want to leave Dan wondering what was happening. But she also didn't want to tell him what he was thinking, or decide what he'd meant before hearing his side.
So Jenny wrote a note: a little SassyGram.
She told Dan how she felt, what the experience had been like for her, and why it was so emotional. No accusations. No invented account of what was happening in Dan's head. That part was his to share.
She also told him she wanted to talk when she got back.
Then she slipped the SassyGram through the mail slot in the gate.
The gate stayed closed. But the message got through.
Jenny could run her errands without beginning a conversation she couldn't give her full attention to. And when she returned, she and Dan could open the gate and hear each other.
Their conversations weren't always easy. Sometimes there were tears. Sometimes they disagreed. Sometimes finding the right words took a little longer.
But they weren't rushing to defend themselves or trying to win. They could listen, ask questions, and hear something uncomfortable without immediately having to answer it. Sometimes, after hearing the other person's side, the story they'd been carrying looked a little different.
They didn't have to agree about everything to understand each other a little better.
02 · An entirely unexpected development 🐉
An Unexpected Development at the Gate
Of course, the gate had one rather unfortunate feature.
No dragon.
Jenny considered this a missed opportunity. A dragon could guard the gate, deliver SassyGrams, and discourage squirrels from staging unauthorized visits.
But could dragons be trained?
Jenny immediately started watching How to Train Your Dragon. Before long, she was outlining a dragon training handbook. Manners classes would come first: no setting visitors on fire, no eating the mail carrier, and absolutely no scorching the SassyGrams.
Then came the advanced curriculum.
DRAGON AGILITY. Flying over the jumps is cheating.
Sassy was interested. Until she learned dragons could fly.
Flying over jumps? Cheating. Skipping the weave poles? Disqualification. Flying from the start line straight to the finish? Not even remotely sporting.
Dan looked at the growing class schedule. Somehow, a small mail slot that had helped them make room for difficult conversations had acquired an entire dragon training academy.
And somehow, that seemed perfectly reasonable in the Sassiverse.
03 · A few curious questions
Through the Traveler's Lens
A traveler passing Jenny and Dan's gate might notice the sign: CLOSED FOR NOW. Beneath it is a mail slot. Nearby, a suspicious-looking flyer advertises beginner dragon agility classes.
- Have you ever needed time before talking about something that mattered?
- When someone else's actions hurt, how much of their story do you actually know before hearing it from them?
- What might help you share how you feel without writing the other person's side of the story?
- Have you ever stood on the other side of a closed gate? What did you imagine was happening?
- What might your own gate need: a mail slot, a window, a bench, or something entirely different?
Sassy has one additional question: should dragons be allowed to compete in agility if they can fly?
04 · Words for your backpack
A Little Borrowed Belief
Sometimes a conversation matters, but there isn't enough room in the moment to have it well.
“I want you to know how I'm feeling. I'm not ready to talk it through right now, but I'd like to when I get back.”
Or perhaps: “This matters to me. I need a little time before we talk.”
Jenny and Dan found an opening that worked for them. Another gate might need a different kind of pause—or might need to stay closed.
Curious about SassyGrams? Sassy has been learning to carry heart-shaped notes in her delivery bag, and she's already delivered them to real people. Discover Sassy's special deliveries at the Visitor Center →