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mind.
What dream?
Oh, a crazy dream about when President Carter slept here in
Irvington. I ever tell you I met him then, back in seventy-eight?
No.
Anyway, got me thinking. I used to hope that when my time
was up, after all these years I put into living, things might be decent
with the world, maybe people would even be singing those high
notes of Beethoven s Ninth Symphony. Well, you see, now, I have
to settle for reality could be one little tuba toot. I m taking the
river of life as it comes. That s how Jimmy did it and that s how he
still does it, bless him.
Your appetite, Pliny. This is the first time you finished before I
left.
You bet. I want to get out, shake up my bones. Sun s shining.
Did I tell you the forsythia are in bloom this week?
Tall Maud stepped around the table, patted him on the back.
She had a meal for her next client to deliver. She had to leave now
and see Pliny then tomorrow.
VALENTINES IN VALHALLA
Trinity had waited for the two burly deliverymen who drove up
ROSCOE S APPLIANCES FREE DELIVERY! late one
Saturday afternoon in February. With a nine-year-old s patience,
she would now wait for them to leave.
Her fast-talking dad, Steve, knowing the truck would eventually
arrive, had gone downtown, looking up stuff at Central Library. His
parting words, after lunch, were no more than: You guys, be sure
you read the instructions first.
All this because Wednesday at dinner, Steve said, Guess what?
This Saturday, a new dishwasher s coming. Bought it on my lunch
hour.
Head down, Trinity had rolled her eyes and kept nibbling away
at the mixed greens salad she d helped her mom, JoBecca, make to
go with pizza. Also at the table, Bailey, Trinity s younger and only
sibling, skipped the salad and ate slices of stringy pizza.
Why? What we got s perfectly fine, hon, JoBecca said.
No, that racket, Steve said. I want to relax when I m home.
Remembering that disagreement between her parents kept
Trinity cooped up in her room, her Saturday on hold: She didn t
want to hear JoBecca speculating anymore whether they needed the
new dishwasher. She truly didn t understand what made her dad go
buy the thing and she didn t want to take sides. Not really.
The plan for the day was, if the men ever left, JoBecca would
take her to Fabrika. They d buy some cool appliqués for her new
jeans, then pick up Bailey, who had spent the night at Lindsey s.
Trinity sighed. All she heard was grunts downstairs from the
deliverymen struggling with the new dishwasher. She hated waiting.
She flopped back on the bed and squinted at the first row of her
Dolls Around the World atop the dresser. The East Indian rani, the
Japanese geisha, the Mexican señorita, the Argentinean gaucho girl,
and the French mademoiselle. These costumed treasures and sixty
more came with Trinity from Chattanooga last year, when Steve,
back from a telecom convention in Reno, announced their lives
could only improve a whole bunch because he was a new district
sales manager at a gold mine company and they were moving to
Portland, Oregon. So she and the dolls moved.
Just then, JoBecca came in, wearing an orange Vols sweatshirt
and wheat jeans. Trinity sat up, so as not to look obviously bored.
Whew, that took a bit longer than I like, her mom said. Now,
fore I disremember it and long as we re makin room for your
father s sensitivities, did I tell you practicing after dinner s a no-
no?
Mom, our concert s in two weeks.
Trinity, practice first thing you get home. Do that one thing
for me, okay?
But why is it always Steve this, Steve that? We get this new
dishwasher cause the old one bothers him. Now I can t play my
flute?
Honey, I don t understand it all myself, but Steve needs his
peace and quiet once he s home. It s like he ll be a ball of energy
most times and can sell to beat the band. Your father is a terrif
salesman. But he comes home, his tires can go flat, believe you me.
Say, why am I telling you all this? You re just a kid.
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