The Garbage Disposal by Carol Wells
My mother's first car was a little white Corvair that my father bought for her. She dearly loved that car and, when they later sold it, missed it. Around the same time frame, back in the early 1960's, she was also gifted with a garbage disposal. This apparently was a big deal back at that time since these were new items for the home therefore not many people had one yet. As any sibling would do in my mother's shoes, she called up one of her sisters to brag about the new disposal.
"Oh boy," my Aunt W. sighed wistfully after hearing my mother share about Dad surprising her with a garbage disposal.
"I know," my mother replied. "At first I didn't think I would like it. Now I am spoiled by the silly thing, W."
"That sounds so nice! I wish we could get one but..." W. sighed wistfully again.
"I know where I can get you one!"
"You do," W. asked my mother excitedly.
"Oh sure," Mom replied with a smile while playing with the phone cord. "I tell you what; I'll pick it and drive it down to you this week-end. Just think of it as a late birthday gift or something."
"Really? That will be great," W. was on Cloud 9 hearing of my mother's grand plan.
"Well, isn't that what sisters are for," Mom smiled.
My sister, a few days later in the driveway, was far from Cloud 9 thoughts about the trip but instead trying to figure out a way to be left off the hook on going along. "You just do these things to embarrass me," she pouted.
Interstate 70 didn't exist yet, so my mother had to drive up U.S. 40 through downtown Indianapolis to get on another highway that would take them to her hometown in southern Indiana. Of course, this also meant driving down the 'main streets' of various small towns along the way.
At every stoplight, my sister slouched down further in the front passenger seat. Each time my mother brought the car to stop or stepped on the gas again, the garbage disposal would rock back and forth in the trunk ... that, in a Corvair, was placed in front and the engine was in back of the car. Each time the garbage disposal rocked, it naturally made noise. My sister would slink down as far as she could in the car seat. My mother ignored my sister and looked straight ahead during the two-hour drive.
When Mom pulled the Corvair into Aunt W.'s driveway, my sister jumped out and made her escape as soon as the car came to a halt. She brushed past Aunt W. who was coming out to greet them. No doubt my sister was rushing to hide in one of cousin's bedrooms seeking comfort and understanding about how a teen-ager feels about having 'unusual parents' to deal with.
"How was your trip," W. asked while bounding down the side steps of her house.
"Not bad at all," Mom replied while walking to the front of the car. "Traffic was fairly light. Ready to see your new disposal?"
"Oh boy, am I," Aunt W. smiled broadly as she joined Mom in front of the car. "Is it very heavy," she asked.
"Well," my mother said while putting the key in the lock, "Bob and I both had to lift into the trunk so I figure it will take both of us to get it out. But we will have to be quick," she added cryptically while starting to lift the lid of the trunk ... not giving my aunt a change to ask what she meant about having to be quick.
W. screamed and jumped back as a pig poked its head up; grunting and snorting at the women as a way of sharing verbal displeasure about its trip. Then before either of them could react, the animal clambered out of the trunk and took off running across the back yard. My aunt looked at my mother and muttered something as they both took off in high-heeled pursuit of the squealing animal.
"I'll get you for this, Marge," W. hollered. "Garbage disposal. Ha. Ha. Ha."
They did not manage to catch the pig. Every once in a while my Aunt W. would share with us about someone claiming to have seen a pig running around town loose. We cannot be for certain if it was Aunt W.'s 'garbage disposal' or just another pig that happened to be roaming around town.
About This Story's Author:
© 1999-2006 Carol Wells; dedicated to my Aunt W. who passed away in August 2002. The Garbage Disposal selected to appear in Animal Antics, part of the Let There Be Laughter Series by Guideposts Books, due for publishing during November 2006.
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