Scattered Leaves (Early Spring 2)

shelves were crowded with all sorts of over-thecounter medicines, loose Band-Aids and another tube

of toothpaste without a cap. A bottle of cough

medicine had spilled as well, the liquid sticking to one

of the shelves and dripping down to another. It was

hard and discolored. It had obviously spilled quite a

while ago. Why hadn't it been cleaned up?

When I looked at the tub and the shower. I saw

they weren't in much better condition than the sink.

The tub also had rust stains and a ring around it, from

when it had last been used. perhaps. There was a

damp washcloth crimpled in it and a bar of soap.

Along the far side were jars of bath powders lined up,

two without caps.

Was this to be my bathroom. too?

I hoped not and quickly walked out and to the

other side of the stairway, where there were two other

rooms. The first door was closed, but it wasn't locked.

I opened it and looked in on a very nice bedroom. It

had a canopy bed with a lighter shade of wood for the

headboard, posts and footboard. The dressers matched

and the oval area rug was a pretty shade of light blue

and in very good shape. Everything was neat in the

room. There were no articles of clothing cast about,

and nothing looked out of place. All the articles on the

dresser were carefully placed. I saw there was another doorway, so I walked in to discover a bathroom in which the fixtures, although not modern, looked

newer and clean.

The windows in the room were the ones I had

seen with curtains and shades when we'd driven up.

Nothing looked worn or torn. Why couldn't this be my

bedroom? I wondered. Was it Great-aunt Frances's