Driving back to work that November day was much like any other.  Christine and I had met Jeff at Denny’s for lunch, and were a little late getting back…but not so late that her suggestion that we stop at Goodwill could be ignored.  We stopped and I did my routine scan of items…just a quick visual…I was pretty efficient.  I stuck to non-clothing items…looking for the odd Andrew Wythe painting, or that rare Limoge porcelain hidden behind the jelly jars.   As usual I found nothing, and as usual I was done well before Christine.  Christine looked for CLOTHES.  She was efficient too.  As efficient as a soldier securing her objective…it just took longer because there were SO many items of clothing.  So mostly I just stood and waited…she was fascinating to watch.  No wasted motion…she had a keen eye for quality and style.  Then we heard the announcement.  The lady at the checkout counter wanted everyone to know that today was “fill a paper bag for $5” day. 

At first I thought Christine had gone into a trance…she seemed unable to speak.  Then I realized she was calculating how much time it would take her to fill that bag.  Considering we were already late it was quite a dilemma.  She looked to me for reassurance…her eyes pleading.  I could not deny this woman her needs.  Damn work…we must have clothes!   She quickly went to the front and got her paper grocery bag…and the battle was joined. 

There were clothes to the right of us…clothes to the left.  I was left holding the bag….not figuratively, but literally.  Christine moved through the narrow aisles like a dancer.  I followed with the bag at the ready.  She would find an item…examine it quickly, and then if it passed muster roll it up so tightly that I swear some of them actually formed a vacuum.   She stuffed each item into it proper place in the paper bag…calculating and adjusting as she went…all to get the maximum use of space.  She found a nice jacket that she wanted but decided to pass on it because it took up too much room.  Her focus and drive were amazing to behold.

When we were done the bag held about 40 items (including a wedding dress).  On the way back to work I saw on her face that smile of satisfaction that you see on an artists when there work is done.  At Goodwill she seemed like an artist…in her true medium.  Later that day on the way home she stopped at a second Goodwill…and got about 40 more items in a paper bag.  At the end of the day she had around 80 items of clothing and has spent only $10.  She eventually calculated that each item of clothing had cost her 12.8 cents each.  She was very pleased.

There is more to the story though.  Christine had bought most of the clothes for her Mom, her sister-in-law Astrid, and her dear friend Mary.  Her plan (she always had a plan) was to have a party and let them choose the clothes they wanted.  Here is her memorable invitation:

The party was eventually moved to her folk’s house, and the “boys” were left out this time.  For her party Christine printed up personalized  “money” for each participant (“Mary Money”, “Astrid Assets”, and the very creative “Le Ann Franc”).  Like everything she organized it was inspired and filled with joy.  It gives me joy still…just to think of her dancing through those clothes…her eyes as wide as her smile.

Tom

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