The Ledger

Lonnie lived his life believing he was utterly forgettable, a dullard with average grades, ordinary jobs, invisible in every crowd.  

When he retired at sixty-five, he quickly got bored and volunteered at the city police station, cataloging old records. 

One day, he found a crumbling ledger that contained dozens of signed confessions from local criminals. Each ended the same way: Lonnie made me do it. 

What the devil…

Tucked behind the last page was a faded photograph of himself, smiling next to strangers he didn’t know. On the back was a handwritten note: 

“You only forget the life you’ve lived.”

*****

100-word micro-fiction