Because I don’t talk to each of my things individually, just to my stuff as a whole, I just miss the DSM-III R for legal schizophrenia. I checked. Besides talking to my collective stuff is insightful and sophisticated. Talking to individual things would be crazy.
This morning, at 6:59, I bounced a bunch of my stuff out of bed before dawn. All that stuff was wondering what the special occasion was, and discussing the strange warmth on their surfaces. I said to my stuff,
It’s over between us. I have moved you through two states, two classrooms within the same school, four apartments and one divorce. I’ve carried you up and down stairs and shuffled you in boxes around the house ~lovingly~ and in and out of cars for months now. Surely you see I cared for you?
You’re GREAT STUFF. I just can’t let you be my stuff anymore.
A lot of you were from a previous marriage. How much longer could I keep an electric carving knife from my first wedding in NINETEEN NINETY NINE that I never opened once? I had to plug the knife in to see if it was defective. ~have never “roasted” anything that was still attached to its carcass~
Many of the books I collected only so that I’d have lots of you in my classroom. How many copies of “Romeo and Juliet” does one English teacher need? ~why do I have seventy-five thousand thumb-tacks and no toilet paper?~
The hardest to part with were the gifts. In getting rid of gifts, I tried not to be bitchier than necessary, but there was no fair way to treat you all the same. All gifts are not the same. There are important considerations like how many other gifts are around the house from that person, and how much longer that person is likely to live. ~don’t take it so hard, gift giving is an art. you’ll be someone’s perfect gift someday. i believe in true gifthood~
Other factors include size, heft, and usefulness.
Also, if I haven’t seen or heard from the person who gave you to me in nine years, I am legally free from the obligation to haul you around to the end of my sorry days on this earth. ~exceptions apply~
If you’re out here today, it’s because you’re the best. You’re the best of all the stuff I no longer need or want. But there’s nobody out here who is a loser. Every one of you can, with a little gumption & some hard work, go home happy today with somebody else.
Do your best. But know this: the two humans and the feline are the only ones that will ever see the inside of that house again. I will not be reconsidering.
I got up early today & hauled you out here.
This is not the day to test me.
I'm Taylor. This is my classroom. There used to be a "real" teacher behind this blog, but she nagged me all the time about not saying this and not saying that. ~all she ever did was type anyway, since my fingers are stuck together~ So I've taken over.
Yes, I'm an imitation Barbie knock-off doll. What of it? Barbie's got nothing on me! Let me take you to school.
Taylor,
Your stuff has contacted me to write you this loving response. They wanted you know this, so here goes……
They were all part of you and they carry with them some molecular charge you left with them on your parting touch. They carry forward the optimism of change and new beginnings. It is scary to start anew, but the excitement outways the fear. They know they are moving on, as you are too. Someone told me “Never love anything that can’t love you back.” Your stuff sends its love.
excuse the typos-’outweighs’
For all the time the stuff was in your English room- you would have thought they picked up on something!
It’s my fault, stuff. Don’t blame yourself. I never emphasized spelling. Content is king, and yours was great!
You see so clearly what is important. I wish some of those who treat people like stuff would pay attention.
Remember, too that one person’s Stuff is another person’s Treasure. A lot of your stuff will be finding a new home. You haven’t tossed it, you’ve shared it.
diane’s last blog post..Possibilities
P.S.
If you want to see Stuff, go to This Mommy Gig http://tinyurl.com/5gch6c where you can gaze at the 1947 hospital bill from my birth!
Guess I inherited the Stuff gene from my Dad.
diane’s last blog post..Possibilities
Diane, you were such a cute kid!!! You’re still beautiful now.
I can’t believe you were born for under a hundred dollars.
You both make me smile!
I love this. It’s very apropos to my situation right now. Stumbled!
Formerly Bloggrrl’s last blog post..10 Ways to Bring Nature Into Your Everyday Life
@bloggrrl (formerly) I didn’t know you had a new blog…. what happened to bloggrrl?
@bloggrrl I see you sold it, like I sold so much of my stuff. Your new link doesn’t seem to be working. Please re-comment so I we can visit your new blog….
And thanks for the stumble! That always helps.