This is a fictional five-part series containing real estate letters written by bidders and presented to the sellers of a local family's estate. Enjoy.
Hi Karen,
It’s been a long time.
I saw Clare's obituary in the paper. Yes, I still subscribe to it even though I live in the next state over. I am very
sorry to hear about your mom. She was always nice to me, and I have such wonderful
memories of her.
Do you recall us speaking at our 25th class
reunion? I know that was 21 years ago but I still remember you were wearing a jean jacket
and your name tag had Karen Nelson on it. You told those of us standing in your
circle that you had never married and were not planning to. I didn’t want to pry about your
adult life because it didn't feel like the right setting and you also didn’t seem quite as happy to
see me as I was to see you, but I was intensely curious about that.
Did no one ever ask you to be theirs forever? Or were you repeatedly asked and said no to every offer?
I reached out to some mutual friends; they told me you are
still unmarried and have been staying at Clare’s house.
I just have to jump in and ask, Karen. What happened with us? Going to two different colleges never
felt right to me. I know your Dad told you to go and experience life without
a serious boyfriend hanging around, but I didn’t expect you to cut me loose in a phone call after your first semester. Why, on school breaks, were you always looking for
me to take you to movies and walk you home from parties and accompany you to
your wretched Aunt Grace's house for lunch? I only say wretched because that is what
you used to say about her. I never objected to any of it because I was always glad to see you again. Plus, Aunt Grace made delicious food. Do you remember it? I do.
Things turned out okay for me. My son is grown, serves in
the military, and lives a satisfying life in Europe. He has no children but he's only 36 so there is still time. Helen, as I’m sure you know, divorced me after 20 years together and married our old
friend Larry Lepeska. You used to call him Lizard Larry because he was
always sticking his tongue out at pretty girls. Well, strangely enough, they seem
happy. I harbor no ill will and have only one or two regrets. You might be able to guess what they are.
But, it's time for me to take care of me. I am leaving my long tenured job as a Chemistry professor and returning to the last place I was happy
in this crazy life of ours, our hometown. Five- and ten-year plans went by the wayside years ago because so little of what I foresaw has truly come to pass; however, when our friends told me Clare's house was for sale it hit me like a lightning bolt. It felt like a second chance at happiness, maybe even a
second chance at love. I hope you’re not surprised that I used the word 'love', Karen. We were voted senior class couple for a reason.
And, you're still single for some reason.
Could this be real?
Sell the house to me. Join me in it. Can we begin a new life in this home like we talked about in 1977? We could adopt a black and white kitten that looks like your old cat Mittens and sit in front of the fireplace on cold winter nights with our favorite books. We could eat coffee ice cream on the back porch on a creaky glider and watch the lightening bugs...just like we used to.
Is it too late? Please say it's not too late.
Norman
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