"You all ready for Maine, kitty?" Paul said to his cat as she hopped into the empty suitcase and sniffed all around the sides. Paul had to laugh since he knew she had to stay at the animal hospital while he and his mother was selling their old house in Maine.
Wearing a blue dress the zipped up in the black, tan pantyhose and blue pumps, Paul finished dressing as Paula as their cat got one last run outside before being taking in the car box by her mom in a yellow T-shirt, black shorts, white socks and sneakers to the hospital before heading to the airport.
On the plane nobody was in the seat between Paula mother and her so Paula could kick off her heels and stretch her sore feet on the empty. Seat. While Ann complained about going up north to the cold she giggled at the fact she was right that Paula be sorry for outfit.
Paula old boyish bedroom was just as she remembered it with its Star Wars posters and comics in plastic bags thumb tact to the walls for easy access. Not to forget the cowboy curtains, lamp and bedspread that Paula was glad to be rid of when moving down south.
The rest of the house was also as she remembered it. Especially the living room in it navy style that included a picture of her dad in his sea uniform and all the awards he won over the years. She knew that she would be helping dusting and clean after the house been closed for so long a lot. The garage looked like it was an auto garage with all the signs hanging along the walls.
As the cleaning began one of the main choirs was setting up the stuff we didn't want in the garage and ending up with dish pan hands and wash woman knees. Putting all her old toys in the garage for sale made Paula think of how she pretended her Star Wars action figures were Barbie Dolls and used the city she created for weddings, dates and other things.
The second day started out at Grandma's beach house. He father talked to her grandfather on the back porch about how disappointed he was in his son while in the front yard Paula mom and grandma talked about how their against her choice in life.
Paula wasn't around to listen as she walked along the rock covered beach and climb rocks there weren't as high as though she would climb on the marginal way path from the center of town to the fishing cove. Dressed in a pink bikini, water thongs and tan shorts, she saw one three year old boy in a tan suit with his toe nails painted pink and wondered who did it.
Board after a lunch of soup and sandwiches, Paula didn't want to see the hurt faces in her family and walked up to the arcade. There she didn't recognize a signal game. All the Pac-man and Donkey Kong were replaced with titles she never heard of before and didn't even know how to start playing.
While mom did some more cleaning in the early evening, Paula put on a fish net tank top and took a ride on the town trolly system from the Ogunquit Hotel to the information center and down to the beach and cove. She saw the beach shop she used to buy bubble gum cards and the house that was blown into the river side by Hurricane Gloria. She also remember how at a certain tide in the ocean side one could swim to the sand bars and jump the big waves in the deep water.
The next day was the day of the big garage sale and everything of memory that weren't being shipping to Florida was sold. A lot of memories down the drain, including the nightstand she made in High School wood shop class.
Unable to get a direct flight back, they flew to the state of Florida. While waiting for their connection, they stood in the terminal with their stewardess dress in her navy uniform, pantyhose. Navy heels were on the floor beside her as Paula heard the woman talk to her boyfriend on the phone.
The woman only wore the heels to board the plane and make the pre-flight instructions. After buckling up, she kept her shoes off for the duration of the flight until landing. They then exited in Florida where Uncle Dave picked them up and took them to their home.
THE END
© 2001
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