There was a terrible alone-ness in me after my father died. There had been the huge troop of our family at the funeral and the after-party, now I was terribly alone at my house and in my head.
My husband was driving one of my brothers to the airport. Our children were playing Legos in the playroom. I was moving around the house with what felt like a lead X-ray robe on my chest and our large poodle trailing my steps; her wet snout would occasionally reach for my hand, reminding me that I had company.
The doorbell rang. I did have company!
This couple was selling vacuum cleaners. Interesting. I let them in. Our dog did not care for this. She did not offer her back to them for a scratch. She sat by me and watched them as they outlined the fluid movement of their vacuum cleaner.
They spoke of keeping order in your life and in your house. Order. I sighed, thinking of my parents’ house. The vacuum was so light, so nimble.
I do love a clean floor. This vacuum would make my life complete. My old vacuum is every bit as loud as a prop plane and picks up dirt almost as well. I looked at my dog. She licked my hand and tried to remind me that she, too, cleaned up any food on the floor better than the vacuum. She picked up and mopped up, she tried….
They started in on the financing. I don’t do math. I glazed over, they didn’t sense I was slipping.
We all heard the garage door open, my bear of a husband stomping any snow off his boots.
Our dog rushed to him greeted him and urged him to stop the madness.
“Are you friends of Mary’s?” he asked, un-zipping his coat.
They explained about the fluid, light, and nimble vacuum. My husband’s eyebrows stretched up into arches.
“Let me put my coat away,” He left the room, came back in, sat down and encouraged them, “Tell me your math.”
They proudly outlined the payment plan, adding in our value-added happiness at a 6% interest rate.
My husband looked me in the eyes, and took my hand before standing up.
“That comes out to $7, 480 for a vacuum cleaner. I do not think we can do that right now. Please, let me show you to the door.”
My husband was driving one of my brothers to the airport. Our children were playing Legos in the playroom. I was moving around the house with what felt like a lead X-ray robe on my chest and our large poodle trailing my steps; her wet snout would occasionally reach for my hand, reminding me that I had company.
The doorbell rang. I did have company!
This couple was selling vacuum cleaners. Interesting. I let them in. Our dog did not care for this. She did not offer her back to them for a scratch. She sat by me and watched them as they outlined the fluid movement of their vacuum cleaner.
They spoke of keeping order in your life and in your house. Order. I sighed, thinking of my parents’ house. The vacuum was so light, so nimble.
I do love a clean floor. This vacuum would make my life complete. My old vacuum is every bit as loud as a prop plane and picks up dirt almost as well. I looked at my dog. She licked my hand and tried to remind me that she, too, cleaned up any food on the floor better than the vacuum. She picked up and mopped up, she tried….
They started in on the financing. I don’t do math. I glazed over, they didn’t sense I was slipping.
We all heard the garage door open, my bear of a husband stomping any snow off his boots.
Our dog rushed to him greeted him and urged him to stop the madness.
“Are you friends of Mary’s?” he asked, un-zipping his coat.
They explained about the fluid, light, and nimble vacuum. My husband’s eyebrows stretched up into arches.
“Let me put my coat away,” He left the room, came back in, sat down and encouraged them, “Tell me your math.”
They proudly outlined the payment plan, adding in our value-added happiness at a 6% interest rate.
My husband looked me in the eyes, and took my hand before standing up.
“That comes out to $7, 480 for a vacuum cleaner. I do not think we can do that right now. Please, let me show you to the door.”
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