Anastasia Absolutely Does Not Gossip

Now, I want you to know that I absolutely do not gossip. But, you already knew that, so let’s move on. Being that I do not gossip, I find it difficult to tell this story in a wholesome way, so I’ll just do my best. Do you know that house down there on Lexington and Ila? The brownish one? Well, my cousin Myrna told me that the other night there were police surrounding the place at 2 in the morning. She was out driving around, as one does. Now, it’s none of my business, and I’m not going to say that there was anything improper going on there, but I will insinuate the living daylights out of it. I don’t know the people who live there, but I imagine they won’t be living there much longer.

On a similar note, but not quite as scandalous, have you noticed that Maxine has been dressing up awfully nice these days. I can’t figure if she’s come into some money or she’s finally found a love interest. Who that might be, though? I don’t know if Maxine has left the city limits of Elgin Texas in the last three years. But one never knows.

That’s not to say that I disagree with her outfits. She really has put some thought into it, and she’s probably consulted with Juanita over at the G&M Dry Goods store. (Honestly, I can’t imagine why they’d call it that. They don’t sell flour or sugar, but who am I to judge. At least they had a nice sign plastered over the doorway, all ready for them to call it that.)

At last month’s Sip, Shop & Stroll (They really need to make a decision on commas) I saw Maxine walking with a gaggle of friends, just laughing and looking the best I’ve ever seen her, and I’ve known her since grade school. There’s just something about these downtown occasions that brings out the best in girls. Get out the of house, out of the cooking and cleaning routine, and very possibly I saw her look sideways at Ralph, the plumber. He got married right out of high school and moved to Colorado. I noticed that he came back without a wife, so I don’t know what’s going on with that. Myrna hasn’t told me yet.

I like Maxine. She’s always been a very good and caring person and I hope that she does have a love interest, and more importantly a man who is interested in her. Unrequited love may be good for literature and those torch singers in Austin, but it doesn’t do the average female much good. And Maxine has done her fair share of waiting. In a small town the prospects are limited. And if I remember correctly she always did have a crush on Ralph in high school. Then he moved away and she became a notary public and did her best to move on with life. It must have been hard on her notarizing all those real estate contracts while she was living in that home her daddy left her, there with her little dogs. She always did have excellent taste in pets.

At one point during Sip, Shop & Stroll I saw her leaning in all excited like, talking to her girlfriend. I was too far away to see her left hand and she got away faster than I could saunter by. So, I’ll have to send Myrna around to Luigi’s on Thursday, when everybody in town knows Maxine has lunch with her best friends. They do have a nice wine selection, so I don’t blame her for that.

Well, it’s been good talking with you in this little column they give me. I hope you enjoy the rest of this day. I’m so glad it’s been raining and it’s not a hundred and seventeen degrees yet. There’s time enough for that nonsense in August.

Studio and Storage

Now, I like to keep my nose in my own business, you know I do. And you know that I don't repeat gossip, so I need you to sit down and pay attention. Would you like some iced tea? What's that? Of course it's sweet; it's iced tea. I swear, it seems like some of you people were raised in a barn. Here you go.

You know that couple that lives over on Lexington Road? The ones with the studio that looks like a set storage of units? I think they call it Studio 621, named after their address. I personally  think they could have put more thought into it, but that's just me. The long building just to the side of it is for actual storage units.

Anyway, I was visiting them the other day. They have made the inside of the studio look amazing. It's still rustic-looking with a beautiful wood ceiling, but enough drywall on the walls to make it look cleaner. The two together, plus the storage unit doors that are still on the outside, just make my mind spin. I wanted to have a party there and I don't have anything in particular to celebrate until my birthday in 10 months. But, you know me; I'd never let a thing like that stop me from having a nice little get-together with some mint juleps and margaritas. And food; they have a full kitchen in there. I could get my cousin Myrna to cook for us and we'd have a great time. They have these two French window doors that open to a patio and a field beyond. They told me that it's all part of the property, up to the trees on all three sides. It's just beautiful, I'm telling you. I can just picture myself with friends sitting on that patio and maybe even in the grass, margaritas in hand (mint juleps for me) and just talk and laugh and enjoy it all. He even said he had a disco ball he'd set up out there once. I swear the possibilities make my mind reel.

There's one little corner inside, though, that is a little disturbing. It's before you get to the main room, in a little nook to the left. I can barely tell that it's a nook at all except for the top of the desk that sticks up. It's a fabulous large corner desk with cabinets above, like they used in the 90's. It's real wood. It just makes me want to get my polish out. But I'm telling you I wouldn't be able to get to it because the whole space is filled up. I enquired about it, real gently you know. Just like, "Oh, what is thing piece of furniture right in front here? It looks like a nice piece." Well, it turns out it's a fold-away bed. They bought it from Furniture in the Raw in town—Austin, I mean. I ask why on earth it was stuck back in that corner and he told me that they're getting the room in the back ready to be a guest room. That's all fine, well and good, but that bed wasn't even close to the only thing in there. I decided to let it go. No need pressing them about it and wearing out my welcome. I have parties to plan.

It did make me think about those storage units on the side, though. When I was walking out to my car he walked with me, of course, and I asked about the storage spaces. I said I had some things I could keep there for a while and how much did he charge. He told me that the only one that was available was already rented to a neighbor. Again, I left it alone, but there's something about not talking or asking questions that leads people to tell you everything they know anyway. He told me that two of the units housed the equipment for a ceramic tile business that he had bought once a few years ago. He said he still pulls it out a couple of times a year when he gets an order, but he doesn't actively pursue it. So, in my mind I used the power of math to figure out: that explained three of the six units, so therefore the other three are left unexplained, but apparently filled because they're not available.

I don't know about you, but there's almost nothing I love more in life than to have a few drinks and start digging through other people's stuff. I resisted the itch to demand entry into those three other units. It was all I could do not to ask, but I do want to have a party in there with those great big glass doors looking out over that beautiful mowed field. So, I got in my car and was on my way. But, you mark my words, I'm going to find out what's in those three storage units and it's going to be so much fun. We'll set up a blender and just all have a big ol' party with it. We could make it into a kind of drive-by yard sale. People will have to keep coming back by as we pull out more stuff and investigate it.

I may not be able to sleep tonight for thinking about it.