Housekeeping Page #4

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Oh my papa

So funny, so adorable

Always the clown

So funny in his way

We shouldn't be here.

What?

We should be doing

other kinds of things.

What things?

We're just hiding up here.

Usually we started for home

when we smelled the hoboes' supper.

A little like fish

and a little like rubber.

And so we would return to the house

that had become Sylvie's.

Where we would find her

"enjoying the evening",

which is how she described

her habit of sitting in the dark.

It was pleasant when she remembered

to scold us for coming home late

or getting our shoes wet.

What did you do today, Sylvie?

Oh, I walked around.

Collecting newspapers.

Oh, I met a really nice lady

at the station.

She was travelling all the way

through from South Dakota

to Portland to see

her cousin hanged.

Why do you get involved

with such trashy people?

It's embarrassing.

I didn't get involved.

She couldn't even

come for supper.

You asked her?

She was afraid she'd

miss her connection.

They're always real prompt

about hanging people.

See, she's his only relative,

except for his father,

and he was the one

that got strangled.

I thought it was very

kind of her to make the trip.

I wouldn't say "trashy",

Lucille.

She didn't strangle anybody.

Where's your husband, Sylvie?

I doubt he knows where I am.

How long were you married?

Well, I'm married now, Lucille.

Why don't you live with him?

Well, you can't be good at everything.

Pass the ketchup, please.

Where is he?

Is he a sailor?

Is he in jail?

Mmm, you make him sound

so mysterious.

So, he's not in jail.

We've been out of touch

for some time now.

I don't think you ever

had a husband.

Think what you like, Lucille.

Okay.

My husband, Lucille,

was a soldier when I met him.

He fought in the Pacific.

Actually, he repaired

motors and things.

I'll find a picture.

Okay.

Okay.

At first, Lucille imagined that our

uncle had died or disappeared in the war,

and that this had deranged

Sylvie with grief.

But, after what happened the very

next day, she forgave Sylvie nothing.

You just don't make friends

with people like that, Ruthie.

People that ride around on their backs

underneath trains to go see hangings.

It is so trashy.

Don't look at the ground so much.

Oh, no!

What do we do?

Wake her up, I guess.

You wake her up.

Hurry.

Well...

Hello!

What a nice surprise.

And you know what?

I just happened to have

a surprise for you.

Thanks.

That still your favorite? Chomps?

Oh, Ruthie, look at this.

There's this woman

in Oklahoma

and she lost her arm

in an aircraft factory

and, look, she still

manages to support

six children by

giving piano lessons.

Wow!

God!

Where's Lucille?

Oh...

Home, I reckon.

Well, that's fine, actually.

I'm glad to have

a chance to talk to you.

You're so quiet, it's hard

to know what you think.

I suppose I don't know

what I think.

Well, maybe that'll change.

And maybe it won't.

You miss too much school.

Childhood doesn't last forever,

you know,

and you might be sorry someday.

Boy, pretty soon you're

gonna be as tall as I am.

Now we find you

asleep on a bench!

Lucille, I wasn't sleeping.

Probably nobody saw her.

In the middle of town?

And the middle of the afternoon?

She's leaving.

She always does that.

She just wanders away.

What if she really leaves?

It could be worse.

I don't know what keeps her here.

I think she'd really rather

jump on a train.

Lapland.

It's not a country.

Lebanon.

Mmmm...

I was afraid you'd already

gone to bed.

I left these on the park bench.

Huckleberries.

Libya.

They're all over

down at the station.

You see, I had

an idea about pancakes.

Your mother and I used to go

to that same place.

Liberia.

We were close, then.

Like you two.

We always forget Latvia.

Yeah.

We always forgot

Liechtenstein.

Or Andorra.

Or San Marino.

Is she leaving?

No, she's just going to sleep

in the orchard.

I was pleased when Sylvie took

to washing the mountains of tin cans

that had collected around the house,

Perhaps Sylvie thought they

gave particular offence to Lucille.

Or maybe she just

liked the effect of her work.

They looked very bright,

and sound and orderly.

I was touched by her efforts.

It was an improvement

in its own way.

Lucille?

Put a dress on. I'll fix your hair.

Not that.

Sit down and I'll fix your hair.

Your hair is like straw.

Don't move.

I didn't.

Well, don't.

We'll get some setting gel

at the drugstore.

- Do you have any money?

- Forty five cents.

I have some.

My hair has curls already.

It curls the wrong way.

My, you both look so nice!

You just make people notice it more.

Notice what?

Nothing.

Why don't you keep up with me?

Then we can talk.

What about?

What do other people talk about?

Anyway, you look strange

following me like that.

I think I'll go home.

Don't go home.

I brought money for Cokes.

Hi, Georgette.

Can we sit down?

Er, sure, go ahead.

What do you think, Lucille?

I'm going to make a one-piece

with big white buttons

all the way down the front.

That's a really nice cloth.

Marie has the same in blue.

I'm making a jacket.

But I've never done shoulders before.

Oh, boy!

Are shoulders difficult?

They have pads and things.

It's a lot of sewing.

So, what are you doing

with your hair?

Oh, it's just a wave-set.

I think I might cut it some,

though.

Oh, yeah,

that would suit you.

Right off your shoulder.

Kinda like this.

Neat, eh? You could

wear it longer if you wanted.

What do you think, Ruthie?

We should get this, huh?

Yes.

Ruthie...

I just wanna go home.

Don't! That's

Sylvie's house now.

We have to improve ourselves,

starting right now.

Well, I'll talk to you

about it later.

Come here, Ruthie.

I'm making a skirt and jacket.

It can be a two-piece,

or the jacket can be worn

with different skirts

like a brown or a cream.

The skirt can be worn

with a blouse.

It'll be coordinated.

It'll go with my hair.

You'll have to help me.

The instructions'll tell us

how to do it.

We'll need a dictionary.

Look up 'pinking shears'.

What are you doing?

The dictionary's full of flowers.

Grandpa.

He put them in the right places.

The pansies are at 'P',

and the roses at 'R'.

Let me see it.

Pinking shears.

What'll we do with the flowers?

Why won't you help me?

You just don't wanna help.

I want to keep the flowers.

Fine, I won't help.

Well you were never going to!

Never!

You were just looking for

an excuse not to help,

and you found it!

Very nice. Thanks a lot!

I can do it myself, you know.

You're no help, anyway.

All you ever do is stand around

like some stupid zombie!

I can't hear you, Lucille.

You'll have to speak a little louder.

Oh, right. Very funny.

Really clever.

What's gotten into you girls?

Don't come in, Ruthie.

I didn't even bother

to take the pins out.

I'm really sorry.

It's not your fault.

You wouldn't've been

any help, anyway.

I'm much worse at those things

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