WE WERE TAKING OUR EARLY SUNDAY HIKE WHICH MEANT WE WERE TAKING A STROLL ON CANYON ROAD. WELL . . . I SPEND MY LIFE ON MY FEET AT THE SHOE STORE SO DOING AN INTENSE OR LIGHT HIKE IS NOT APPEALING TO ME. I GO UP AND DOWN THE LADDER ALL DAY LONG. THAT IS ENOUGH OF A HIKE FOR ME!
WE WERE “ADVENTUROUS” AND TOOK A DIFFERENT ROAD UP THE EAST SIDE. MUCH TO OUR SURPRISE WE STUMBLED UPON AN ESTATE SALE. WE WERE SURPRISED BY THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE QUIET STREET AND THE BUSY BEEHIVE FRENZY INSIDE THE HOUSE.
WE JOINED THE CROWD FEELING LIKE WE COULD NOT POSSIBLY MISS OUT ON SOME INCREDIBLE DEAL THAT WE DID NOT REALLY NEED. THE ROOMS WERE ARRANGED WITH DIFFERENT THEMES. THERE WAS A CHRISTMAS ROOM, THE KITCHEN, THE SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL ROOM . . . ETC. WHEN WE GOT TO THE BEDROOM, IT SUDDENLY STRUCK ME HOW MUCH ALL THE ITEMS WERE SO PERSONAL. THE SPECIAL DEAL SUDDENLY BECAME AN INTRUSION INTO THE OWNER’S PRIVATE LIVES. THERE WERE HER SHOES, HIS SHOES – HER COATS, HIS COATS. AT ONE POINT A WOMAN WHO WAS ONE OF THE SHOPPERS OPENED A CABINET. IT FELT TO ME LIKE SOMEONE OPENED MY BLOUSE! PERUSING THROUGH THE HOUSE AND OPENING THE DRAWERS AND CABINETS FELT LIKE SUCH A VIOLATION OF THEIR PRIVACY. I KNOW THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO AT ESTATE SALES, BUT IT FELT SO WRONG. ALL THESE ITEMS WERE MEMORIES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE AT ONE POINT. AFTER AN HOUR OR SO, WE LEFT THE HOUSE WITH OUR TREASURES BUT IT KEPT HAUNTING ME THAT SOMEBODY AT ONE POINT PURCHASED THEM WITH LOVE FOR THIS HOUSE ON THE EAST SIDE.
THIS EXPERIENCE TRIGGERED A MEMORY FROM MY GRANDPARENT’S HOUSE. THERE WAS A GLASS CABINET IN THE DINING ROOM WHERE ANTIQUE CHINA WAS ARRANGED. INSIDE WERE CAREFULLY PLACED LITTLE PLATES WITH VASES WITH ORNATE SNAKE DESIGNS THAT WERE NEVER USED OR EVEN PUT OUT FOR ANY SPECIAL OCCASION. I KNOW THEY WERE VERY SPECIAL FOR MY GRANDMOTHER BECAUSE IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED FOR US (THE GRANDCHILDREN) TO TOUCH THEM OR ELSE WE WERE IN DEEP TROUBLE. AS A KID, MY EYES WOULD TRAVEL TO THESE TEA SETS. I TRIED TO IMAGINE HOW IT WOULD FEEL TO HAVE THEM IN MY HANDS BUT NOOOOOOOOOOO. I KNEW MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD HAVE KILLED ME HAD I TOUCHED THEM.
FOR SOME REASON MY OLDER SISTER HAD ONE OF THESE SETS AND ON ONE OF MY TRIPS TO MEXICO, SHE DECIDED TO GIVE IT TO ME! SINCE THE DAY I GOT IT, I HAVE TURNED IT FROM AN UNTOUCHABLE TEA SET TO PRACTICAL EVERYDAY USE! I USE THEM AS SOAP DISHES, OR I PUT A PLATE ON TOP OF MY WATER GLASS TO PROTECT WHATEVER I AM DRINKING. I SOMETIMES PLACE MY JEWELRY IN A PLATE THAT I PUT NEXT TO MY BED. MY OWN GRANDPARENTS DID NOT HAVE TO HAVE AN ESTATE SALE. ALL THEIR GOODS WERE TAKEN BY MY UNCLES AND AUNTS EXCEPT THIS ONE TEA SET!
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS KNOWN TO HAVE A STRONG PERSONALITY – PROBABLY FROM HAVING RAISED NINE KIDS . . . MOSTLY BOYS AND MY FATHER WAS ONE OF THEM. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I WAS NOT MY GRANDMOTHER’S FAVORITE GRANDCHILD (IMAGINE THAT)! IF ONE DAY I RUN INTO HER IN THE THIRD DIMENSION AND SHE INQUIRED OF ME AS TO WHY I WAS USING HER TEA SETS IN SUCH AN IRREVERENT WAY, I WOULD ANSWER, “I’M SORRY, MA’AM. I DO NOT SPEAK SPANISH” AND I WILL TRY TO RUN AWAY FROM HER IN THE THIRD DIMENSION AS QUICKLY AS I CAN.
AFTER MY WALKING HIKE ADVENTURE ON THE EAST SIDE, I REALIZED THAT IT WILL BE ME WHO WILL MAKE THE DECISIONS OF WHERE MY PERSONAL TREASURES WILL GO INCLUDING ALL MY BEAUTIFUL SHOES. I DO NOT WANT PEOPLE PILFERING THROUGH MY STUFF. I JUST DO NOT!
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. PLEASE EMAIL ME AT MY PERSONAL EMAIL, GUADALUPEJ4K@GMAIL.COM