Saturday, August 18, 2012

A story prompt


Delores, at The Feathered Nest, posted an observation today that reminded me of a story from my past.  I’m going to owe her pretty soon, but have no idea what.  Thanks, Delores, for a prompt about having a clear out.

This happened a long time ago, as I think my BFF Carol and her husband have been married thirty years, at least.  Frank told me this story; I wonder if Carol remembers this is how it happened.

On a beautiful Saturday morning Frank sat at the kitchen table enjoying the last of the toast and his cup of coffee.  Carol took care of the dishes, then started cleaning the counters and appliances as Frank looked on, making small talk.

Carol didn’t say much as she worked her way around the kitchen and back to the cupboards, which she set upon with ruthless determination.  Plates, bowls, platters came down, the cupboards were wiped clean.  Not everything went back.  Small appliances and crockery he had never seen before suddenly were landing in the trash.

Lazily curious in the warm sunshine and afterglow of a good breakfast, he idly asked why she was throwing out the item about to depart her hand into the waste basket.

Thump! went the crockery.  “If I haven’t found it useful in the last year, it’s going!” Carol informed him as she turned back to cleaning.

Frank said he proposed to Carol on the spot and bought rings that very afternoon.  I know they were married the next February, high in the Alleghany Mountains in Pennsylvania, in a blizzard, which is another story.


19 comments:

  1. She will never have to worry about accumulation of junk in their house lol.

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  2. I wish I was like Carol - but I'm not. Definitely have to be in the mood for cleaning cupboards out and then ten to one most of it goes back in again - just in case :(

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  3. You gave me a good laugh for the morning! Have a wonderful weekend.

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  4. Frank may end up the same as the crockery if he's not to careful.

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  5. My daughter is like this... if it hasn't been used recently, out it goes. Me, I'm a 'but maybe we may need it someday' kind of person. But I'm getting better about it as I age (and having had to clear out both my mom's stuff and my brother's when they passed made me realize that I didn't want to leave this chore for my kids.)
    Cute story!

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  6. Frank must have decided he would have to become useful in her life or get kicked out with the old crockery. Good incentive for all of us. Fun story. Looking forward to the blizzard/wedding story.

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  7. I also wish I was like Carol. I wish that my partner was too. It is horrifying how fast 'stuff' accumulates. I think it mates and repoduces after dark.

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  8. I don't know. I can keep something for years and never use it but as soon as I get rid of it, I want it the next week.

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  9. LOL Don't know if he proposed out of fear or good sense, but it made me chuckle all the same.

    He reminds me of my husband. Somehow my husband finds the need to tell me how beautiful of a woman I am, whenever I am A) gathering stuff to be thrown out or donated B) Baking cookies.

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  10. I started that method of clearing out several years ago. I still have some things that haven't been used for a long time, but many others have been donated to charity shops or the kitchens of my kids. Mostly it's ornaments, clothes and old papers/magazines that have been ditched. In the latest clean out, some furniture that wasn't going to fit in my small flat, lots of crockery and cookware, all gone and when I unpacked here I still had too much!

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  11. It must be nice to be so decisive! I am always afraid that as soon as I get rid of something, I will find a need for it.

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  12. Perfect reason for a proposal! Smart man! Smart woman!!!

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  13. I would so like to know what went through Frank's mind to lead to that proposal!!

    And yes, please, to the story of the wedding in the blizzard - it sounds like a good one!

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  14. Frank needing some prompting. I was a little confused (typical) at first because you wrote they were married 30 years so I thought this happened while they were already married.

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  15. Was he afraid he hadn't proven himself useful?! A great story.

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  16. Brilliant! I need to be more like Carol.

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  17. Perhaps he was attracted to her determination. Ha.

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  18. What must the husband be thinking of?

    I enjoyed this short story, really hilarious. :) God bless you more!

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