Sufficiently Distracted

Pigs, Men, and Plans for 1952

 

New years eve was cold, quiet, and solitary. Brenda could only wonder what ran through Farleigh's mind during that time. She would keep herself busy, stop worrying about men, and concentrate on her own responsibilities. For the most part, she didn't truly like New Years. It offered new opportunities for shop windows, and new gadgets that struck her fancy. 

With any luck, she and Farleigh would be working with Billy Shaw relocating boxes, and mannequins to the Blundon house for a few days, and end up in Washington D. C. for a nice fancy meal. Billy didn't get many perks in life, so she would invite him along, and give him a pay bonus, to boot! The living room was looking drab with most of the sparkly things gone already. Trips to the attic were fast and furious due to the freezing temperatures.

The boys' curtain cubicles were coming along well, and soon, there would be seances. Brenda didn't care what people thought any more, and hoped that Harriet would try to come to one of them despite her husband's objections. The Blundons had been rather quiet during the holidays, but as Brenda often said "The dead have lives, and they have to be responsible toward them as well."

On January second, Brenda phoned the sanctuary, and mentioned the 4 pigs she planned to buy, promised to pay for neutering of the female, all feed bills for a year, and shed repairs. The second call was made to the dreaded slaughterhouse, and her request for two particular breeds was assured. Landrace, and Tamworths were available in abundance. Three neutered males, and an unspayed female on the "smaller side" would be ready when she came by, paid for them, and hauled them out of there, and to the veterinarian in Bladensburg.

Farleigh hadn't called in several days, but she refused to worry about him. To make things easy, she lined up a local farmer to go along and help to fetch the pigs. Farleigh could leave his car at the farm, or follow the truck. The shop window had to be dismantled, and several of the mannequins would be going to the Blundon house in order to liven up the rooms. 

Brenda didn't tend to sit around feeling sorry for herself very often. On occasion, she would "crumble" and retreat, but since she moved into the big house, she felt that she had a new family. Her own parents had always been hyper involved in life, and living, so she sent them more telepathic and emotional messages than they sent her. When they did show themselves to be "around" it was always with the best timing for something special.

With coffee in hand, Brenda left the coffee shop and returned to the mannequins. They were becoming like family, too.

C J. Marks

Author's Note

I love making things up !