Telltale Signs

I spent seventy-two days with PaB and MaK. Until last week. I went from seeing, hearing, being with them everyday, to, now, only catching telltale signs of their previous presence.

Like breakfast. MaK ate Raisin Bran every morning at home. And if you are curious, yes, I eat my cereal out of a mug.

Candy bars stuffed in the granola bar box. No, no one here was trying to kid ourselves about the difference between a 3 Musketeers and a Crunchy Granola Bar. PaB preferred the latter, and MaK the first.

Assorted muffins. They were the perfect snack to hold us over till the next meal. But I can't eat all twelve of them. Preacher and Sonya are so lucky...

Chewing gum. PaB always had a pack. Always. He left them everywhere.

Lotto tickets. Twice a week PaB played the Lotto. Once he won three dollars. But everytime he handed over his dollar for a ticket he would ask himself "How would it feel to win the jackpot?..."

"You can buy out all the yard and garage sales!" I replied. We went to garage/yard sales every single weekend.

Toothpicks everywhere!  He used to chew guava twigs when he was little because they couldn't afford toothbrush and toothpaste. For someone who consulted a dentist only once in his lifetime, and it wasn't because of a cavity or a broken tooth, PaB has immaculate teeth. I think toothpicks have a lot to do with it too.

Everyday since they went back to Truk, I wander into their bedroom where I can still smell them.

Which brings me to my dilemma: do I remove all the telltale signs that they were here, or do I keep eating bran cereal, candy bars, muffins, and pick my teeth after every snack, chew gum while I shop all the garage sales from here to Seattle, and take naps in their bed until I hit the Lotto jackpot?


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