CPSC Micro-fiction #8

CPSC Notices 5/27/10

Cost Plus Inc. Recalls Tea Glasses Due to Risk of Lead Exposure - The Moroccan tea glasses contain excessive levels of lead in the exterior coloring. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects. No injuries reported.

Buckyballs® High Powered Magnets Sets Recalled by Maxfield and Oberton Due to Violation of Federal Toy Standard - The high powered magnets sets were labeled "Ages 13+" and do not meet the mandatory toy standard F963-08 (effective August 17, 2009) which requires that such powerful magnets are not sold for children under 14. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal. The firm has received two reports of children swallowing one or more magnets. No injuries were reported.

Micro-fiction 5/27/10


"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
I held the tea cup in my hand. The light stroked over its china curves, it's thin handle. I wouldn't let anyone to touch it. Only the light.
"Should you really be holding it?"
I looked at him. He would ruin this moment.
"Just a few more minutes can't hurt."
"But it's been ten minutes now. And days previous."
"A few minutes more won't kill me."
"Your exposure is already intense at best. We need to run tests. We have to extract some of your bone marrow as soon as you destroy that thing. With the output of that thing, you're brain might already be microwaved leftovers."
"Don't call it, 'that thing'."
I held it up once more, and smiled, as the reflected sunlight beamed off its yellow paint, the intricate details of the design."
"It is beautiful, isn't it?"
He sighed. "Yes, it is beautiful."
I let the tea cup rest lightly in the palm of my hand, and thought of its beauty. I pushed the vision I absorbed from the cup, back out of my mind, up my arms, and into my fingers, where the force of its weight drawn by gravity pressed into my skin. I concentrated, briefly. I pushed back. The tea cup rose out of my hand, a few inches into the air, and spun slowly on an invisible axis in the morning sunlight.

For information about this series, please see the introductory post.