September 16th, 2010, 2:30 am
Nine Days After the Fire
Hello Friends,
I am at last going up to sift through the ashes of my house on Friday. Three friends are going to help me, and it is messy, smelly, smoky, depressing and tedious work. Clothes will be ruined, many showers will be required afterward. There is no power or water up at the site; we will bring up water and pee in the woods like Girl Scouts. Apparently, there is a dumpster sitting at the top of my driveway, near the toxic mess of burnt metal, plastic, wood and asbestos that was my house. Oy.
I’m not sure my friends know what they have signed up for. After the fire that destroyed my childhood home, we walked through the rubble, pulling out half-burned photos, pieces of dresses, charred toys. This time, I honestly hope there is nothing left, that the inferno has scrubbed the foundation clean, and blown the ashes to the four winds, like messengers. Fat chance. A-sifting we will go.
I need a few things to mount this maudlin treasure hunt, and would be grateful to folks willing to loan me the following items. I’m in need of:
- 2 shovels
- 2 metal rakes
- 4 pairs of work gloves
- A couple of old screens for sifting
- Women’s size 8 work boots – preferably in crappy shape
- 4 large men’s shirts, also in crappy shape
- Several disposable face masks
Please contact me off-list if you are interested in being a sponsor of this expedition. Sandy Hockenbury called tonight and said she found some great big scarves for us to wrap around our heads, “Two for a dollar at Wal-Mart!” Oh, Sandy, I just love you.
Perhaps we need pirate’s eye patches or a stuffed parrot mascot or a Jolly Roger flag to plant in the rubble…. “Sixteen men on a dead man’s chest, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum…”
Who knows what we’ll find – doubloons, guineas, pieces of eight. Sunken treasure awaits. But really, this all just sucks.
Thanks for Your Help,
Andi and Nellie (Who Would Make a Darn Cute Pirate)
