Mundacity

Brenda tries to adapt to subtle changes in her life, but resents being forced to do so.

Riverdale Park had enabled Brenda to achieve many of her goals in life. Remaining unmarried had drawbacks, and benefits. The drawbacks included not being invited to certain "upper level" functions unless one had an escort. Widows were exempted due to their social and financial generosities, and, of course, a few of them were looking to remarry for companionship if love was not to be found.

The benefits included not having to share assets, having plenty of privacy, and no need to "obey" a husband. Brenda answered to no one, and loved freely. Her shop afforded some public and social contact, but there were the occasional "slumps" that she had learned to tolerate. Some of her display windows were "Toned down" seemingly, but she wrote that up to sheer laziness.

Winters could be incredibly harsh in Maryland, and there were days that she wanted to hibernate, eat, sleep, and read. Farleigh had hibernation down to an art. Daniel was a breadwinner, father, and reluctant husband to a very neurotic woman.  Mr. Griffin "bopped in and out" from time to time, and gave her glowing reports. Brenda was like a daughter to him despite her wavy gray hair, and "haggard" bone structure. 

After a 20 minute phone call, a deal was struck to receive 40 mannequins delivered to the Blundon house during "moderate" weather conditions. She could buy as many as she wished, but was obligated to buy at least twenty. Sherman Stokes knew how to find "anything, and everything" for a price, so Brenda requested a couple of Mermaid mannequins with "absurdly" long hair. He would be driving a large truck, and bring his helper Mike Wise. The date was up to Brenda and the weatherman. She promised to pay with cash, and not a check. Sherman loved cash due to his habit of scouring every town for "junk" on his way back to Washington. When people saw cash in hand, they tended to bargain to his liking.

The holiday display windows were going to be toned down except for Christmas. With any luck, Farleigh would be around for all of them and behave like an actual boyfriend. Daniel's life was not easy with his insane wife making grand plans. With 1953 just a few months away, the "Generous Miss Grayson" would certainly be planning to buy two "innovative" modern houses side by side. Daniel had stubbornly refused any financial help from her, but with all of the stress mounting in his tiny rental home day by day, perhaps he might be willing to rent one of her new homes for one year to ease the misery coming from Caitlin. It was a thought, but deep down, she knew that Caitlin would always be trouble.

 

 

  CJ Marks 2015