52 - uncle henry's

(I'm going to post my theme for alienation... I'm just working on it a bit! But I really need to get caught up)

52. There are a dozen stories on every page of Uncle Henry's--tales of divorce, death, wasted money, plans that went nowhere, hopes destroyed only to rise again, dreams deferred and dreams turned into nightmares. And as I read it, I see a million Maine cellars, attics, living rooms, barns, camps, boathouses, garages. Faces, voices, images of people too. You could do worse than Uncle Henry's as a source of writing ideas--how about looking through Uncle Henry's to find a prompt? Find an ad, copy it so we know where you're starting, and speculate on the tale behind it--thinking as you write about meanings beyond the obvious.


14 ft canoe for sale. I think hull is plastic or fiberglass with cherry ribs...hull and thwart & both seats are good, needs gunnels and wood keel replaced. Wide and stable canoe. would be a perfect solo canoe. very light to take to back woods pond...I was told by original owner the canoe was made by Old Town. can e-mail photos later. $75

"You haven't sold that damn canoe yet?" His wife's voice harped as she burst through the front door that gloomy day. The cold air that gusted in behind her felt as sharp on him as her tone.
"No, considering it's sitting in the garage." He replied quietly. He looked over at his wife from his spot at the kitchen table. Her arms were crossed and her turning-salt and-pepper hair was frizzing, probably due to the on-and-off rain today.
"You priced that old piece of junk too high, Jerry."
"Do you know anything about canoes?" He asked calmly, "Old Town Canoe makes some of the world's finest canoes, Margaret. The price I've given it is more then generous."
She scoffed and tossed her keys in the key bowl next to the door, "There is no way to tell if that's really an Old Town Canoe. The thing is so old the label has rubbed off. And plus the old coot you bought it off of probably said that to get more money out of you."
Jerry had bought that canoe years ago when him and Margaret were newlyweds. He purchased it from an old man who lived on their road who was simply looking to sell it to someone who would use it. Jerry thought it'd be perfect for him and Margaret to use to go on camping trips or if they just wanted a relaxing day on the lake. When he purchased it, Margaret was happy and excited when he bought it. At that time, she had loved being outside just like he always has.
Jerry sighed heavily, "You know better then anyone how much that canoe means to me, Margaret."
Her eyes barely softened. At this point, she wanted the canoe gone, or else Jerry was gone, "You have absolutely no use for it anymore. Your back is bad, your arms are brittle, and you wouldn't even be able to stay awake for a whole canoe trip anymore. Yeah, we spent some great times in that canoe, but it's time to let go."
Jerry remembered when they were young and they spent hours in that canoe, just floating on the lake and talking about their future plans. Jerry wanted a son, and hoped he would also find joy from that canoe. His son turned out to be a computer whiz who really never cared about the old canoe.
"Neither one of the girls want the canoe?" Jerry asked, knowing that Jerry Jr. would have no use for it.
"Both of them have apartments in the city." Margaret replied and shrugged. She slipped her shoes off. "I still think you priced it too high. I want it gone, Jerry. It's only taking up space we could use for something that's actually useful."
Jerry watched helplessly and Margaret walked into the living room and took a seat next to their stone fireplace. They used to spend nights sitting next to that fireplace when the power would go out during a storm. He wondered how long ago it was that they sat and had a long conversation over a glass of wine. It must have been years.
Jerry wondered how none of his kids wanted something that meant so much to him. Yes, it was an old canoe. But it was a piece of his life too. Why didn't his wife of 43 years see that? The love of his life couldn't see that this was hurting him. Even if she did see that it hurt, did she really even care?
Jerry sighed and stood up from the table. He slowly walked past his wife and went into his study, unable to look her in the face.