Why she is here

Peggy’s prompt—why she is here—10 minutes—090310




Why she is here no one seems to know. She came in with a crowd of people but I don’t think she was with them. She doesn’t seem to have spoken to anybody, except maybe the family. I didn’t see that. It’s not so odd to have an unknown person at a funeral, but she’s a little odder than most. Her hat, for instance. Nobody else is wearing a hat, but she’s got on one of those 40’s felt hats with a short veil. Navy blue it looks like. And she’s paired it with very high open-toe, sling-back heels. Also navy I’d say. And an old-lady navy purse with a gold clasp, big, really huge, clunky gold earrings, a gold link bracelet and a gold ring on her pinky with what has to be a fake ruby as big as a Bing cherry. All to set off her outfit—a long beige skirt with a slit up to you-know-where, a red, red long-sleeved peasant blouse that is nearly off-the-shoulder. What a get-up. And the hair. Long, blondish, frizzy. I haven’t gotten a look at her face. From the back she could be anywhere between 18 and 80. I hope not 80. I’m always so embarrassed for older women who try to dress like teenagers. Although there’s no teenager alive today who’d wear what she’s got on. So I wonder. What is she here? How did she know Milton? Maybe she’s a not-talked-about family member—a wayward niece or an ex-wife of somebody’s. Oh, no. She’s turned around and looking right at me. Uh-oh, now she’s smiling and waving at me. And here she comes. Well, I’ll be doggoned. If it isn’t Minnie Lamberth. I thought she’d never show her face in this town again, after what happened. What a nerve. And she thinks I’m going to speak to her, I guess. Well, OK, here goes.



“Hello, Minnie. What brings you back to town?”