Jane registered Fred’s departure in the back of her mind, but all her attention was focused on the wording that was driving her mad. The minutes slipped into hour sand her coffee grew cold as Jane twisted and coaxed the wording to be just perfect.
About the time she was satisfied, Jane heard the cuckoo clock chime noon and she pushed herself away from her desk. Grabbing her new icy cold mug of coffee, Jane headed for the kitchen. She was famished and truth be told, had the beginnings of a massive caffeine deprivation headache forming. Pouring herself an iced tea and throwing together a turkey sandwich, Jane grabbed her lunch and headed for the front porch. George followed, knowing he could get a piece of turkey or two for lunch.
Jane settled into her chair on the front porch and admired the quiet and solitude of the surroundings. “One of the advantages of living in the middle of nowhere,” she though “was the utter stillness and quiet.” There was a gentle breeze rustling through the trees and the crisp early morning and turned into a lovely mildly warm day. Jane finished her lunch, indulged George, and was sipping her tea as she saw a truck pull into the drive.
Two burly men alighted from the cab and one approached as the other went around to the roll-up door on the truck.
“Delivery for a Mrs. Jane Perkin, that you?” inquired the burly man in a slow drawl.
“Yes, that’s me. Do I need to sign something?” Jane inquired.
“Sure do ma’am but first, where do you want us to deposit the delivery?”
“Well, can’t you just hand it to me?”
The man laugh, a deep belly laugh “No ma’am. you certainly don’t have hands large enough nor strong enough to hold this delivery.”
Jane was truly curious now. “Alright, how big is the delivery then?”
“Well, I recommend the garage or an empty room in the house.”
Startled at the reply, Jane was momentarily taken aback by the response. “Surely, it can’t be that large?”
Just then the back of the truck opened and Jane took a step back. “Surely, that isn’t all for this delivery?”
“Sorry ma’am but that is what cleared customs and what we have been instructed to delivery to you.” His reply was firm and concise. Jane could hear the barely contained amusement behind his words.
Jane simply stared at the size of the delivery. There was at least two pallets of boxes and one very large oblong piece that she could see.
“Well, certainly not what I was expecting. Let me open the garage and I guess put everything in there.” Jane slipped into the house and quickly had the garage door opened.
The two men proceed to offload the goods and the oblong object. The delivery filled the garage by the time they were finished.
“Just sign here ma’am.” Jane signed the offered bill of lading and was handed a letter in return.
“Last item of the delivery. You have a nice day now ma’am.”
And with that, the two burly men got back into the van and headed back to civilization. Jane stood there, studying the full garage wondering exactly what she had just signed for. Looking down at the letter in her hand, Jane recognized Auntie Liza’s handwriting and headed back to the porch.
Sitting in her chair, she carefully opened the letter and began to read.
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