Bringing In The Stiffs

Mannequins arrive with a vengeance, and Brenda slips into her "end of the year" mood. Neighbor Jeffrey visits the notorious house next door.

Sherman  arrived at the Blundon house mid afternoon, and parked on Oglethorpe street. Mike Wise had driven the truck very "carefully" in order to protect the "stiffs" as Sherman like to call his dummies. Brenda had been working on the window at the shop for a few days, and decided to take the day off "just for the mannequins."

It was slightly below freezing, but she donned a warm coat, hat, and gloves in order to assist with her latest venture. She decided, sight unseen to take all 40 mannequins, plus two mermaids for a bargain price of three hundred dollars. Most were naked, but many were wigged, dressed and a few males had on shoes only. 

When she carried one mermaid up to the door, she felt that Fannie Blundon, and the girls were watching her, and would love to have had her sitting in their bedrooms.

When the 3 fairly chilly "movers" were down to the last four mannequins, Jeffrey Larkin drove past the big truck, and turned into his driveway. Brenda marveled that his lower jaw didn't touch the steering wheel. Jeffrey's distorted, and outraged face irked her beyond description.

He approached the "Sherman Stokes Company" truck with a strange gurgle rising in his throat that tried hard to be a nervous laugh. Mike and Sherman double checked the mannequins lined up on the floor by the fireplace while Brenda explained to Jeffrey that she was going to fill the house with mannequins, and create replicas of "locals" and "friends" then place some of them into a Vintage caboose which would be decorated for holidays. 

Jeffrey asked her nervously if that was "allowed" and "alright" with the Historical Society. She told him that they could come and see for themselves, and lodge any complaints at her Christmas party. The search for the caboose had begun "somewhat in earnest," and it was "just a matter of time" before it graced her side yard. Jeffrey felt a "lurch" in his already acid filled stomach.

Brenda invited him to come back to the house in an hour for tea, and the "grand tour" if he had the time. Luckily, his twisted curiosity made it essential to do so. "This woman is nuts" he concluded, inside his young ambitious head.

Mike hadn't said more than 4 words while he was helping to unload the truck, and place the "gang" inside the living room, but he gave Brenda a hearty handshake, and thanked her for the 20 dollar tip. Sherman reminded her to ask for "anything and everything" she needed "without any hesitation." She promised to order some Christmas things. The temperature continued to fall as the truck drove away.

Halloween, and Thanksgiving always called for a major touch of "bizarre" in her world. When both holidays were past her, she wanted to spend more time with Farleigh, and "stop worrying" about her rank in the Historical Society.

Jeffrey showed up as Brenda was propping her mermaids onto a loveseat. He had tea and sticky buns in the dining room while she explained the history of the Blundons, accidents, and the establishment of Riverdale Park. During the tour he talked about himself most of the time, and made veiled threats about " what people might say" when they saw the mannequins in "nearly every nook and cranny" of the house. 

Brenda stopped short of taking him into the attic, but would eventually tell him about the seances so she could watch his hair stick straight up, and see his socks fly off his feet from shock. His favorite room was the bathroom. It was in mint condition despite all of the "action" that had taken place inside it over the decades. 

He left in a fairly cheerful mood. Brenda Grayson had not been a "bad" as he thought in the end, but Brenda knew, that eventually, fur and feathers would be flying over "something or another."

CJ Marks 2015