the_coop kerry when the three of us moved in together becky named our space the_coop. she said we were like hens, clucking and feathery and warm, in the second story of that cozy house. for a while she was the only one who had a real bed–olivia was sleeping in a pile of blankets and pillows on her bedroom floor and i had a mattress as thin as the ones at girl scout camp. becky was a chef, olivia a barista. there was always good food around, even if we didn’t have much money for anything else. when i wasn’t working the front desk at the jewish community center, i was sorting donated materials at the creative reuse depot. we sold everything for next to nothing there–cardboard toilet paper rolls, empty yogurt containers, old magazines, fabric and felt, old photographs and slides, whatever arrived (minus that poorly-taxidermied cat, though it stuck around long enough for the whole staff to take a look). i collected ancient matchbooks from resorts and hotels. i took home whatever i wanted. i would like to go back to that little house on the corner of 54th and genoa, see if the rosemary is still planted near the sidewalk and the lemon tree still in the yard. josh’s kid climbed it once–let’s make lemonade, becky!--and came back down covered in black ants. but the lemons were sweet, full. the brew was delicious. 220101 ... raze (i love this. your memories are like scenes in a film we get to walk around inside of.) 220102 ... e_o_i Seconded. Also, a taxidermied cat!! The phrase struck me as funny, but if I actually saw one, it'd probably disturb me a little... Value Village and Renaissance do more than just clothes - I've gotten things like picture frames there too - so I'm sure there have been some interesting moments while sorting through donations. (We also have Salvation Army but I never go there. It's the secularist in me - I'll take values and rebirth with my T-shirts but not overt salvation.) 220102 ... kerry thanks so much, y'all. i haven't been as active on blather lately but i will return soon, and i am still reading. miss you blatherskites. and re. the taxidermied cat: i'd never seen anything like it! it looked like it was hissing. who takes this kind of thing into their own amateur hands??? 220102 ... e_o_i Hissing? Yeah, I'd definitely be creeped out! At least you got a story from it. And I enjoy your writing even if I'm not here all the time, too! 220102 what's it to you? who go blather from