this town and simply burn these things.
Finally it’s about two o’clock, and I feel weary and dusty and hungry. I’ve gone through closets and drawers, setting aside very few things to save. I’m not even sure about some of them. So far I’ve gathered several old photos Violet must’ve overlooked, a few pieces of Mother’s jewelry, mostly gifts from Gavin and me, and the box of letters Michael unearthed.
I actually paused to read a couple of them and am surprised at how Gavin and my mother seemed to have a friendly relationship. In fact, I can tell by what little I’ve read that Gavin must’ve been sending her a fair amount of money, because he tells her to “think nothing of it” and “he just wants her to be comfortable.” I’m sure she must’ve written him, thanked him, but told him not to be so generous. It would be like her to respond like that. And it would be like Gavin to continue sending her money. And, of course, that’s the only reason she was able to do her little home “improvements” like pink carpeting and flowery furniture. Well, good for Gavin. And now I will have all of it removed.
“I don’t think there’s anything I want in this house,” I tell Michael. “Besides what little I’ve set aside.” He’s still in the kitchen. Mismatched glassware and dishes are piled all over the place. He leans down to set a box of pots and pans on the already crowded kitchen floor.
“I’m feeling the same way. I thought perhaps we’d find some collectibles, but mostly it’s just odds and ends. Oh, I suppose some desperate dealer might want some of these things.” He brushes off his hands. “But that dealer will have to go to Goodwill to find them.”
“Right.”
“You’ll have more than enough to fill this house,” he continues. “Besides your lovely furnishings, you’ve got good linens and nice kitchen things coming. I really see no reason to keep any of this.”
“I cannot imagine my things from Beverly Hills in this house. It’s just too incongruous. I’m afraid the whole thing will simply turn into a horrible joke.” I want to add that the joke will be on me, but Michael is so sincere in his efforts that I hate to insult him too badly.
“I think you’ll be surprised, Claudette.”
“Perhaps I’ll be shocked,” I say dramatically. “Perhaps I will keel over with a heart attack. Wouldn’t that be lovely.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t say such things, darling. Have a bit of faith in old Michael.” He looks around the compact kitchen, now cluttered with all the old, worn-out kitchen thingsstrewn from one end to the next. “Although I’m feeling a little worried myself.”
“Aha!” I point a finger at him. “So you admit it. This is a farce.”
“No, no, that’s not it. I’m just concerned that I picked out too many things to bring here. I’m afraid it won’t all fit in this house.”
I sigh. “Well, I’m sure you’ll help me to sort it all out, right?”
“You can count on that.”
“Is this how it was when you were designing settings for movies?”
He smiles. “Very similar. I would gather a truckload of props and pieces, as well as a crew of able workers, and we’d be off to the races. Oh, it was such fun.”
“You honestly find this fun?” I peer closely at him.
“I’m as happy as a clam right now.”
“Well, I’m as hungry as a horse.”
“We are terribly cliché, darling.” Then he looks at his watch. “Goodness, where has the time gone? Those Goodwill boys will be arriving any minute now. Let’s go freshen up before they get here. Then you can move the Jag out of the driveway, and I’ll give the boys my instructions. After that, you and I will be free to get out of their hair. We’ll go have a nice leisurely lunch.”
I change into a fresh pantsuit, nothing too spectacular since this is, after all, only Silverton. Seeing Bea’s strange outfit was a horrible wake-up call and a nasty reminder of thistown’s disregard
Finally it’s about two o’clock, and I feel weary and dusty and hungry. I’ve gone through closets and drawers, setting aside very few things to save. I’m not even sure about some of them. So far I’ve gathered several old photos Violet must’ve overlooked, a few pieces of Mother’s jewelry, mostly gifts from Gavin and me, and the box of letters Michael unearthed.
I actually paused to read a couple of them and am surprised at how Gavin and my mother seemed to have a friendly relationship. In fact, I can tell by what little I’ve read that Gavin must’ve been sending her a fair amount of money, because he tells her to “think nothing of it” and “he just wants her to be comfortable.” I’m sure she must’ve written him, thanked him, but told him not to be so generous. It would be like her to respond like that. And it would be like Gavin to continue sending her money. And, of course, that’s the only reason she was able to do her little home “improvements” like pink carpeting and flowery furniture. Well, good for Gavin. And now I will have all of it removed.
“I don’t think there’s anything I want in this house,” I tell Michael. “Besides what little I’ve set aside.” He’s still in the kitchen. Mismatched glassware and dishes are piled all over the place. He leans down to set a box of pots and pans on the already crowded kitchen floor.
“I’m feeling the same way. I thought perhaps we’d find some collectibles, but mostly it’s just odds and ends. Oh, I suppose some desperate dealer might want some of these things.” He brushes off his hands. “But that dealer will have to go to Goodwill to find them.”
“Right.”
“You’ll have more than enough to fill this house,” he continues. “Besides your lovely furnishings, you’ve got good linens and nice kitchen things coming. I really see no reason to keep any of this.”
“I cannot imagine my things from Beverly Hills in this house. It’s just too incongruous. I’m afraid the whole thing will simply turn into a horrible joke.” I want to add that the joke will be on me, but Michael is so sincere in his efforts that I hate to insult him too badly.
“I think you’ll be surprised, Claudette.”
“Perhaps I’ll be shocked,” I say dramatically. “Perhaps I will keel over with a heart attack. Wouldn’t that be lovely.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t say such things, darling. Have a bit of faith in old Michael.” He looks around the compact kitchen, now cluttered with all the old, worn-out kitchen thingsstrewn from one end to the next. “Although I’m feeling a little worried myself.”
“Aha!” I point a finger at him. “So you admit it. This is a farce.”
“No, no, that’s not it. I’m just concerned that I picked out too many things to bring here. I’m afraid it won’t all fit in this house.”
I sigh. “Well, I’m sure you’ll help me to sort it all out, right?”
“You can count on that.”
“Is this how it was when you were designing settings for movies?”
He smiles. “Very similar. I would gather a truckload of props and pieces, as well as a crew of able workers, and we’d be off to the races. Oh, it was such fun.”
“You honestly find this fun?” I peer closely at him.
“I’m as happy as a clam right now.”
“Well, I’m as hungry as a horse.”
“We are terribly cliché, darling.” Then he looks at his watch. “Goodness, where has the time gone? Those Goodwill boys will be arriving any minute now. Let’s go freshen up before they get here. Then you can move the Jag out of the driveway, and I’ll give the boys my instructions. After that, you and I will be free to get out of their hair. We’ll go have a nice leisurely lunch.”
I change into a fresh pantsuit, nothing too spectacular since this is, after all, only Silverton. Seeing Bea’s strange outfit was a horrible wake-up call and a nasty reminder of thistown’s disregard
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