plastic memory

at first I thought I had upset the plastic gods, no idea how I had done that
the weather was awful and there was hardly any plastic
I walked through fields in the pouring rain, being stared at by cows and horses
the few snippets of chocolate wrapping and a lonely plastic cup weren't enough to fill two hands
what to do? I didn't know. just follow the route, stay as dry as possible and not use the camera
after a while I realized I was thinking about plastic
my head started to fill itself with plastic thoughts
some were new, triggered by things I saw in the landscape
plastic labels in the ears of animals, hay bales covered in white plastic
others had been in there for years, almost forgotten
one in particular made me smile
I think it is my oldest memory, I don't quite remember when it happened
I must have been 3 or 4, I was playing outside in the small courtyard behind our house
I don't see myself in the memory, not even my hands
the only thing I see is the sand I'm playing in and the object I'm using
it is bright orange, it has a handle, you can open and close its two identical parts,
a small container in which round objects had been stored
I am using it to make perfectly round balls of sand

I realize the plastic gods work in mysterious ways