Giving

The rain has inspired me again to move, to give and to write.

I clean out one suitcase full of brand new bed sheets, some of which still have the tag on from when there still was a May Company or Bullocks. Way before Mayce's took all of them over, way before this economic crisis hit us like a tsunami.

He must have bought a brand new sheet every week, he must have been obsessed. I mean we all have our own obsessions, I buy books that I don't read and he bought bed sheets, and towels. They must have somehow made him feel safe in this world.

The flat sheets are a whole other issue. Who uses them besides hotels and their maids who know how to make them so perfectly? I have about 15 flat sheets. Where are the matching fitted sheets? I think he just bought the flat ones...

He was such a strange person, my late grandfather.

Suddenly I get an urge to put an ad on craigslist under free stuff. Some poor person may know how to make good use of them. I put the ad and 7 minutes later Lydia calls and she comes with her husband and her dog, in the pouring rain, to pick them up. She says she sews.

I think to myself: good for Lydia who knows how to sew. I should have learned how to sew. They did have a class in 7th grade and I refused to take it, and then again in senior year they offered some "home economic" class and I chose cooking. I learned some basic cooking skills, which is great now because it helps me when I cook. Maybe that's why I like cooking? because of those early education years?

Never mind. Sheets are gone. I will never again see Lydia in my life but I think my psyche has lightened up, my grandfather is smiling at me from heaven and, yes, we are all connected somehow in this universe. Those who will wear the clothes that Lydia will make, will say a prayer for grandpa silently and subconsciously, not knowing that they even said it, not knowing ever how their clothes came to be but now I know: Maybe he bought flat bed sheets so that one day someone can wear hand-made clothing that their mom, Lydia made.

It's all good, and the rain makes it even better.