Peace (and Quiet)

Originally Written Between 2017-2020                                        

 

“Hi, Mary.  This is Jane.  Dick and I will be in Minneapolis in a couple of weeks visiting our kids.  We’d love to get together for lunch and catch up on old times.  Are you available on Wednesday, the 15^th?”

 

Well, we were available for lunch on that day and arranged to meet at our home and then go on to a restaurant.  We hadn’t seen our former neighbors since they had moved away a few years’ back and thought it would be nice to get together.

 

It is now Wednesday, June 15^th.  Noon.  We greet Dick and Jane at our door with hugs and the usual “good to see you!” and “you look great!” comments.  And those were practically the last words Norm and I spoke for the next six hours.

 

Their dog, a small dog named Cookie, was in the back seat of their car.  Norm and I love dogs so Cookie was no problem.  They left her in the car while we had lunch.

 

As soon as we sat down, Jane looked at me straight in the eye and started talking about how much they love fixing up their 4,000 sq. ft. old Victorian house on a hill overlooking the Mississippi.  Dick started talking to Norm.  About what?  I have no idea since Jane had grabbed my attention.  And Dick had certainly grabbed Norm’s.

 

Jane talked a lot about their new church and all the committees and boards and even more about people I don’t know.  She went into long detail about conversations she had with her new best friends and also the problems she has with a few of the pillars of the church.  For TWO….. LONG….. HOURS.  I now know all there is to know about 20 or so strangers who I will never meet – or care about – EVER!

 

I tried sneaking looks at Norm to see if we could get all four of us talking together.  But, poor Norm.  Dick had him wrapped up in a one-sided monologue.  I’m sure Norm had turned off his hearing aids and just nodded his head every now and then to show he was listening!

 

Finally, lunch is done and we head back to our home.  They brought Cookie into our house and gave her some water and food.    Actually, she was not a problem at all – in fact, she became a diversion whenever I needed to look at something besides Jane's IPad.  Yes, I said IPad.  THEY HAD PICTURES!

 

Dick quickly showed Norm the pictures – and by quickly, I mean it took an hour.  Then, Jane took the next three hours explaining EVERY….. SINGLE….. PICTURE.  Now folks, with apologies to the master gardeners reading this – I believe that once you’ve see one rose bush, you’ve seen them all.  I enjoy flowers as much as the next person.  But, after seeing how the same garden looks in the spring….. and then full bloom in the summer….. and… oh my gosh – the FALL!  All that orange?  How could winter top that?  Well, I guess it does.  And Jane has 150 pictures to prove it!

 

Then, we had to see the house.  Did I mention they had a 4,000 square foot mansion?  I have to admit that their home is lovely.  I think it looks finished.  But…. NO, it’s not!  I heard all about what still needs to be done – and, of course, they have pictures.  Barb also gave me the complete story about each antique they’ve acquired (with the appropriate pictures, of course).  Does anyone know how many antiques can fit in a 4,000 square foot home?  I do.  TOO MANY!!!

 

Suddenly, Jane looks at her watch.  Oh, my gosh – look at the time!!  It’s 6:00 and they have to be at Tim’s at 6:30!  They both bounce up from their seats, grab the dog (who had settled into Norm’s lap) and literally ran out the door.  Just the words, “Bye!  Now you come on down and see us.  We’d love to show you our house in person!”  And they ran down the steps to their car.  No hugs; just a wave of hands.  No typical “Long Minnesota Good Byes.”  Which, actually, was fine with us.

 

We closed the door and just looked at each other.  Didn’t say a word.  We listened to the QUIET.  Heard nothing except the humming from our refrigerator.  So quiet.  So peaceful.  We both took two Ibuprofen and sat in our recliners in the den.  Didn’t even turn on the TV.  We just sat there.  Enjoying the peace and quiet.

 

About an hour later, Norm turned to me and said, “So…. What does Jane know?”