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Murphy’s Law says, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Write about a time everything did — fiction encouraged here, too!
I was brought up what some of you may consider old school. Don’t place your elbows on the table.
Cross your heels, pull your dress down, don’t show your business.
Always say thank-you, you are welcome, and May I be excused.
I was taught that children should be seen and not heard
Manners were strictly enforced in our home. Don’t whine, don’t brag, work out your own problems before coming to us.
We do as we are told and for the most part carry most of these ground in rules with us throughout our lives.
This brings to mind a lady I once came across. Our husbands worked together and this is how I met Miss Queen.
We frequented their home often. The men would go to their corners, and us women remained in ours.
Each time I was blessed with her opening her mouth it was to brag. Bill and I couldn’t really afford this big new television but we just had to have it. You know,,,,,,the Ramsey’s down the road got one just like it. They have had it about three months now. We just couldn’t let them be the only one on the block to have something new.
Oh brother, I would think. This is exactly what my parents told me not to do. Wow, what a big mouth. But deep inside in my hidden thoughts the green-eyed monster would poke his beady eyes out, letting me know I sort of wished I had one too.
Dave and I had a nice television. It wasn’t brand new. We picked it up at a local estate auction. It was in our budget and it entertained us on boring evenings.
Another time we stopped at Miss Queen’s house I heard, ” Come look at our new kitchen. We sold our stove and refrigerator and got these. Aren’t they just marvelous? All silver and they look so modern. Just like a chef’s professional kitchen”.
I smiled and told her they were lovely. Although in my mind I was thinking what is this woman trying to prove? Our own appliances are white. Nothing special but they do the job. I can whip up some fantastic meals in my kitchen, and they were on sale to boot.
It never ended. To tell you the truth, I got sick of going over there and listening to the queens mouth. I tried to tune her out, reading her lips only and smiling mechanically. As soon as the guys were done playing with their grown-up toys I was always ready to leave. Besides I hated that green-eyed monster. I had no reason at all to feel this way.
Dave and I picked out our home together. We had made a budget and the two of us tried very hard to stick to it and to stock pile a savings account. Mom always said you two best put money back for a rainy day.
We had decorated the house for our taste. We got along fine and hardly ever argued. Dave had a secure job but we knew we could not throw money a way. After all we did not have a tree that grew money on it.
The last time we went to Miss Queens house I noticed her sitting on her beautiful couch. The men were in the other room talking quietly instead of in the garage playing.
I went to the queen and sat down beside her. I rested my hand on her shoulder and asked, “What’s wrong Joan? What happened? Why the tears?”
“Oh I don’t know if I can even force myself to say the words aloud. We received terrible news yesterday from my Bill’s work. He has been laid off?” she wailed. Sobbing so hard it was shaking her couch.
“That is awful Joan. What are you two going to do?”
” I don’t know, I just don’t know. What made it worse is when I went into the bathroom to start my bath this morning, some pipe behind the wall must have broken after Bill finished his shower last night. There was water standing on the floor. I had to actually get on my hands and knees and using my good towels clean it up.
I am just so worried. Everything we have in this house is on credit. Do you and Dave buy on credit?” I nodded no and continued to listen to her.
“How are we going to pay those credit cards without him working? I just don’t know what to do. I can’t figure out how this happened. We had it all figured out.”
” I am sure things will work out Joan. It is just going to take you and your husband to sit down and figure what is most important” I said.
“It’s all important. How can you ask me that? Everything I have is important.”
I stood up and found my husband and told him I had a headache starting. I really would like to go home if it was possible. He said goodbye to Queen’s husband and we left.
As we were driving home my thoughts went to, wow, when it rains it pours.
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