A Quiet Treasure

 Grandma Lu had been so busy with her yard sale. She finally was finding time to put things in totes. Some things for her next yard sale and some things just needed to be organized and labeled in a storage cupboard. On this particular day she found a strange looking tin box. It had a handle and it was green. "This must be Fran's, she thought. I'll set this aside and show it to him. He will either want to throw it away or save it for some unknown treasures." She shook her head at her husband's uncanny ability to save things that had no value. Often things (broken tools) were saved because they could be fixed someday or mainly just because...) 

She decided to have a cookie and a cup of coffee after working a few hours. Her husband walked into the kitchen and said, "Look what I found! Pretty cool box, don't you think? Wonder what's in it." He sat down at the kitchen table while Grandma Lu fixed him a cup of coffee all the while grinning. That man of hers!

When she sat down she watched him open the box and it was full of old papers. Really old papers. He passed one to her. She was only five years old when it was printed. The paper was soft as butter. It was his mother's box that he had saved and forgotten about. In it were just two things. The Bandwagon newspaper which had all of the old song lyrics printed in it along with very strange advertisements.

The other paper was a letter to Fran's mom and dad (their name was spelled wrong) informing them of their new real estate tax for the next year. Thirty seven dollars! They both laughed at how taxes had increased over the years. In that envelope was another letter telling them that they would from now on have to buy or make a number at least 2" high and wide to put on the front of the house. It would have to be visible from the street. It was the number 9. The envelope was only addressed to them as the street, no number. This took place in 1964.

This forgotten little green box started a conversation that lasted long after their coffee was cold. What an interesting letter. How it reminded Grandma Lu of letters she still had of her mother and father's. There was no address on the envelope. Only a name and a town and state. How in the world did the mailman find them?

Also Grandma Lu and her husband talked about how the tax assessors would come to the house and look all over. At one time she could remember that the tax man said that if her parents put in wall to wall carpeting they would have to pay a tax on it. Plus they counted all the pigs, chickens and cows! My how things have changed!

Grandma Lu cleared the table while her husband made his way to a cupboard with the little green box. "So what are you going to do with that box and those papers?" He grinned and said, "Well save it, of course, the kids might like to see them someday."

Grandma Lu shook her head and thought. "We won't see that box again for years. It was fun to look at, but it will be a surprise again the next time we find it." She chuckled to herself as she fixed supper. Aah the phone is ringing. I wonder who that is. The caller ID said it was an unknown number. So she didn't answer it. "You just can't be too careful nowadays. If they want to talk to me they can leave a message."

Betty was disappointed when Grandma Lu didn't answer the phone, but wasn't ready to leave her a message yet. Maybe she would see her again at the library.