Attractive Nuisance

Miss Grayson gets the green light to have an old caboose placed on her property. Farleigh spaces out, and reconsiders having anything to do with "red tape" and pompous bureaucrats.

 

 

When Brenda had placed an announcement in the town paper  pertaining to her plans for a caboose in her side yard there were no objections to her having it on "The old Blundon property." The Historical Society gave their blessing after the town and county eagerly approved her plans. She promised to decorate it only for Halloween, and Christmas, would have a red lantern year round in an unobtrusive manner, and there would be discreet "no trespassing" signs along the iron fencing. There would be fees, of course, and Brenda happily paid them. She also agreed to hire locals for the labor, and set ups.

Jeffrey Larkin went along with the idea only because Brenda assured him that it would not become an "attractive nuisance" and "reel in" pesky children or equally pesky adults. There would be no loudspeakers, or fake train whistles, and the mannequins inside would be far and few for most of the year. If anyone truly wanted a look at the caboose, they'd have to ask at the shop, and set up an appointment.

 

Portions of the iron fence would have to be moved for the "hour or so" that it would take to tow it into place. Luckily, there was a flatbed large enough to haul it, and none of the electrical lines, or telephone poles would be inconvenienced in any way.

Farleigh had entered another one of his "keep my house at all costs" retreats and Daniel was busy fighting with Caitlin over leaving Henry at a Tiny Tot day care center, and the looming pipe dream about having him get modeling jobs in Washington, DC. Caitlin was "threatening" to get a job, and still didn't understand why Brenda Grayson wouldn't hire her to "rearrange" her antique shop, and "dispense advice." Daniel explained that Brenda had all the help she ever needed on one block, generally speaking. 

Farleigh telephoned a week later to say that he didn't believe the coffee roasting idea would work out. There were too many regulations, and he rambled on about bird houses, home made caskets, neon signs, and a bakery. He mentioned several hallucinations about a local woman who had built her shack home by herself. When he drove past, she had on a green coat with a corsage, and her face turned a bright red after holly leaves sprouted from her head. In "default" reality, he explained that she was in overalls and a plaid wool shirt. Brenda wanted to see him badly. There would be a seance coming up, and he had to be there. He giggled, and said okay, then bade her "bye for now my love."

CJ Marks