The note was written in a scrawl

Chapter 26) The Abandon Card / Latchy and the plan to save Trinity
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version1
Latchy was up early with Dr Mason leaving for his appointment to check on Joddie at the Winston's house the day after the car wreck.
Of course later he would be called back to the Winston's after Joel collapsed from the worries ... or more likely dehydration.

The houseladies just arrived, bringing in the milk order from the milk box, and then set to work immediately on Latchy's breakfast of scrambled eggs with red pepper.
That day was special. Wednesdays, when the milkman delivered the chocolate milk.
Latchy ordered extra quarts of milk, one for each of the houseladies, whichever they chose using the flip up left the night before in the milk box.
It was a conflicting gesture which she'd never done with house staff in all her years, and it actually made her mad at herself.
She just didn't want notice, or problems, but Bohan told her not to worry, it would be alright.
protection and pretense how she lived before

Breakfast that morning was more pleasant than her usual grind through the gray haze that seemed to be her life anymore.

That day she discovered herself thinking about the many people that she met in Trinity since returning. They were all so friendly with everybody chatting about, amidst the comings and goings in town. And unlike Mobile, which smelled of toil and coal dust, Trinity had the fresh air from big trees and the homes had natural gas instead of burning coal, and the people kept the streets clean.

Trinity was unlike how she remembered years ago.

The high school, the public library, town square, and perfectly-kept storefronts along main street with striped awnings, sidewalk signs, and tasteful display of wares.

She was surprised it took so long to notice, but Trinity was beautiful.

Originally she came back to escape her husband's hysteria over life,but mostly because there was nowhere else to go. She realized that she needed Trinity, and realized too that maybe Trinity needed her too.

She chose that moment to abandon the past, or at least the worst parts, and find a home in Trinity, one where she had roots among the new people that might grow to care about her.

Silently the note slipped out of her pocket, fluttering to the floor where her foot inadvertently bushed it under the table where it would be swept up later.

version
So that was it. The abandon card was spent, and Latchy free to live again.

In recent days, Latchy had been thinking about the collection of art that still hung on the walls of her house in Mobile. The house was up to her husband, but the art belonged to her.

She wasn't sure what she was looking for. It was an inkling maybe she could sell the pieces through a store in Trinity and decided to make inquiries.

version
A few short blocks later and she parked along Main Street, intending to visit various store owners. She'd met most of them in previous trips.

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It was a loneliness that caused Latchy to open the curtain on the 3rd floor room she often retreated to when her friend Bohan was not there.
The afternoon light streamed in. The window needed to be washed.
It was the place her husband stood so often.
The thoughts made her uncomfortable and she reached in her pocket and touched the note again. There was comfort there.

There was a small handle on one side of the window so she pulled on it. Then pulled harder. Then one last pull and the window swiveled open.
Something caused her pull on the windowto look at the downtown church steeples. There were birds flying around the topmost part and disappearing under the louvered slats.
They must be living there she assumed. It was kinda funny thinking their homes were like her own. Except they had companions.
She missed that most of all. Not the way her husband acted, but the feeling when someone is sharing your home. And now Trinity was her home, just like the birds.
She continued gazing out and saw a beautiful town nestled into a hill next to the river.

It was pleasant imagining the many people she met since returning. They were friendly, and the streets clean and orderly with people chatting about, amidst the comings and goings. The high school, the public library, town square, and perfectly-kept storefronts along main street with striped awnings, sidewalk signs, and tasteful display of wares.
She was surprised it took so long to notice, but Trinity really was beautiful.

Originally she came back to escape the hysteria of her husband's life.
V2: Originally she came back to escape her husband's hysteria over life.
There was nowhere else to go. But now she needed Trinity, and realized that Trinity needed her too.

That was the moment she chose to abandon the past, or at least the worst parts, and find a home in Trinity, one where she had roots among the new people she cared about.
The note silently slipped out of her pocket, and fluttered to the floor where her foot inadvertently bushed it under a dresser.

In recent days, Latchy had been considering the collection of art that still hung on the walls of her house in Mobile. The house was up to her husband, but the art belonged to her.
She wasn't sure what she was looking for. It was an inkling that maybe she could sell the pieces at a store in Trinity and decided to make inquiries among the owners she'd met.

Stan and Pale Wexford and her friends Mild and Sulley Mccarthy
Arlinda
Arlendie
Lindsey arlington

Middy and Phillip bradley / key
Ohillio and Arlinda from Shreveport
accompanied by the young and unmarried tested socialite Lindsey Arlington

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Dr Mason left Joel's house feeling ripe n randy dandy for Latchy but disappointed to find her
She needed Bohaan Mason.
headed to Latchy's, hoping to play hide the squirrel.
His usualy modenst was disguised by was steered to the thrid floor room with his paramour who had never confided feelings with him aside from the attaction.

She cared about him but it was unsettling after hiding so many decades of perverse acquaintance behind a face of normal.
Most of her friends, and few people would ever guess what she had been through.


curtain on the 3rd floor room she often retreated to alone
. was with his usual modesty and twinkle in left Joel's house headed to Latchy's

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Maggie saw her family together and wanted to run upstairs and cry from happiness or relief, but forced herself not to.
She should have let go the numbness and conquored it with joy, but other things were still bothering her.
Maggie saw her family together and wanted to run upstairs and cry from happiness or relief, but forced herself not to.
She should have let go the numbness, but other things were bothering her, most of them with River Boy.
She hated sneaking along the muddy river bank to have sex, but her sister was home now the price was too high ... still, she wanted to talk to River Boy, but it wasn't clear why.
Maggie saw her family together and wanted to run upstairs and cry from happiness or relief, but forced herself not to.
She should have let go the numbness and conquored it with joy, but other things were still bothering her.


A short drive later and she parked along Main Street but the conversations were faltering: Expensive art? Big pieces?
No way, we don’t have space.
Trinity doesn’t get that kind of customer.
Why don’t you try Abbeyville?

Undeterred, she still saw opportunity.
A stop at Louis’ store seemed unlikely, but he shared her enthusiasm and sent her across the street to talk to Harry Wilkerson.

While local business was largely doing well, most had declined the past couple years. It was just a trickle they attributed to weather, or some other cause, not realizing the threat modern commerce imposed on their lives.

Wilkerson saw the problem clearly and had a lot of forward ideas that some laughed at or ignored. But it was Wilkerson who was more right than wrong, and many started listening after the train no longer stopped regularly.
However, the manager at Woolworth's and the clothing store up on the square backed Wilkerson.
The bottom line numbers told them the town was falling into disregard.

Once Woolworths was onboard, the higher tier square businesses joined in, and support for Wilkerson spread to include Louis and many other owners, including the new artist colony that most felt was an infestation of the cotton lofts down by the railroad along Morton street.
Nonetheless all were welcome. Together with Wilkerson, Louis and other owners, they formed a tight group that was looking for the spark that would bring commerce to town. Their effort showed no results after months of advertising in the state's travel publication and hiring a specialist who took the money and never came back.

Latchy and Wilkerson conversation/ the fishing tournament perfect opportunity to invite out of town folks
I week to prepare ... Latchy was already expecting her friends Pale and Breatt, having invited them and their husbands to an overnight stay at her house. It would be no trouble to invite several others from that group of monied friends, with the promise of a sporting event and tour of town followed by the big bar-b-que cater she had planned for late afternoon.
In fact the bar-b-que could be moved over to the tournament. All it would take is a call to Joe the Mexican, who was the town's main bar-b-que guy and see if he could handle the job.
Joe said, no problem. His brother was going to be cooking at the fishing tournament anyway, plus they knew other guys who cooked on weekends. Latchy ordered extra plates to be served, followed by a few calls to the butcher and things were rolling right away toward a big day of feastin n fishin. Not a green pepper to be spared as word spread they were serving free food at the tournament, and wango bango, the full local sport was throttled up and enthralled.

Wilkerson flew into action himself. He called everybody. Full court he says. Clean every display, every piece of glass, sweep n clean the town ready and pray it doesn't rain because this is the big moment we' need. Wash the dog too, it can't hurt.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

He suggests she send invitations to fishing tournament. Such a move could be useful for local business.

It surprised her that Wilkerson would offer the proposal to her, barely knowing one another. But like her, he needed Trinity, and so did the other families.
The town was going to die if they let it.

++++++++++++++
There was a new kind of oppression that roiled the people. It closed the shops took away the trades hollowed out towns destroyed the soil cut the trees killed the fish and covered it with concrete that could not be cleaned nor replaced and never beautiful.

Merely a temporary obstruction stopping the return of trees
+++++++++++++++
While many local businesses were doing well, most had declined some over the past couple years. It was just a trickle that most attributed to the weather, or some other cause.
It was a big loss when the train no longer stopped regularly.
Wilkerson saw opportunity if they could get passenger rail into town on a tourist basis. He had a lot of forward ideas that other businessmen generally laughed at. But it was Wilkerson who was more right than wrong. And several people started taking him seriously. Together, they were looking for a spark that would bring commerce to the town before it fell into disregard.

They hatch plan for the fishing tourney, and tour of Trinity
Latchy sends invitations out to friends.
Calling her most immediate friends.
Her friends Pale and Brett downstate


Maggie sees river boy, and changes her mind about asking him .... she's not sure why.

.Stan and Pale Wexford snd Skulley
Mccarthy

????????????????????//////////////////////////
Latchy stopped by Louis's shop along Main Street. River Boy had been there minutes before picking up fishing line.
Lewis worked at Latchy's house replacing the gas lamps with modern electric lights.
Latchy asked,


They sat at the dining room table for soup as the houseworkers were getting ready to leave.
A few minutes later the house was still, the overnight houselady withdrew to her room down the far hallway.


Money diverted the attack on Blacktown. Excising racism was not the profitable option for the Upstate Boys, Churchail or the bank.
The Klan didn't kill off black towns all over the south and small towns across the country.
The money moved.
It put sharecroppers out of work, closed the little shops, took away handmade trades, and replaced them with tractors and cars and roads. The cities changed Negroes and replace them with tractors

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
He was a pragmatic humorous guy eternally optimistic as you’d  expect an auctioneer, enthusiastic and could hardly wait to get to work in the morning. Exactly the kind of person latchy would have as a friend
He was impressed that river boy seemed to know Latchy.

Maggie missed the latest drama at her house. Just as well she was looking for river boy, now not so sure that she wanted to find him… her sister was back and there was no reason to talk to River boy.

She saw him downtown it was carrying a stick, and suddenly she just didn’t want to see him


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It was a lonely memory that caused Latchy to open the curtain on the 3rd floor room she often retreated to alone, sometimes at night. The afternoon light streamed in. The window needed to be washed.
It was the same place her husband would stand and look at the town below. It was such a waste ... she missed the life they had before. But not the life they shared in Mobile.
Not one for impulse and emotional outburst, the thoughts made her uncomfortable and she reached in her pocket and touched the note again. There was comfort there.

Something caused her to look at the downtown church steeples. There were birds flying around the topmost part and disappearing under the louvered slats. They must be living there she assumed. It was kinda funny thinking that their homes were like her own. Except they had companions.
She missed that most of all. Not the way her husband acted, but the feeling when someone is sharing your home. And now Trinity was her home, just like the birds.
She continued gazing out and saw a beautiful town nestled into the hill next to the river.

It was pleasant imagining the many people that she met since returning. They were always friendly, and the storefronts clean and orderly with the people chatting about, amidst the comings and goings.

She realized that she came back to Trinity because she needed Trinity, but then realized also that Trinity needed her.
Yes, she chose to abandon the past, or at least the worst parts, and truely find a home in Trinity, one where she had roots among the new people she cared about.

With that, the note slipped out of her pocket and fluttered to the floor where her foot inadvertently bushed it under a dresser.

Latchy had been thinking about the collection of art that still hung on the walls of her house in Mobile. The house was up to her husband, but the art belonged to her.
She wasn't sure what she was looking for. It was an inkling that maybe she could sell the pieces through a store in Trinity and decided to make inquiries among the store owners.
A few short blocks later and she parked along Main Street, intending to visit several store owners.
Expensive artwork? No way, we don’t have space and Trinity doesn’t get that kind of customer. Why don’t you try Abbeville?
Undeterred she still saw opportunity.

A stop at Louis’ store, and she discovered a man who saw similar opportunities.
He sent her across the street to talk to Harry Wilkerson

decides to go see Harold or Harry Wilkerson as his friends called him.
He suggests she send invitations to fishing tournament. Such a move could be useful for local business.

It surprised her that Wilkerson would offer the proposal to her, barely knowing one another. But like her, he needed Trinity, and so did the other families. Most had yet to realize the threat modern commerce imposed on their lives.
The town was going to die if they let it.


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