Blank Slate

Dorothy, if I do say so myself, is real good at asking questions. I mean she can find out details without insulting the questionee (if that's a word.) Anyway she asked Ethyl what she saw in Uncle Eli when he was salesman for the meat packing plant where she was secretary to the owner. Aunt Ethyl said what she saw was a blank slate. And over the years she chalked in on that slate a life of safety and success for the man she chose to be her mate. One of the things I have noticed about the couple is the formality of their arrangement. You never see them holding hands or touching each other. Right from the start they had their own bedrooms. I have always felt their marriage is more of a business thing than a loving relationship.

When calls started coming in about Uncle Eli and his misguided approach to dealing with his accounts, it was Ethyl that patched things up. She persuaded her boss to let her stand behind Eli and deal with his accounts. He agreed. Most customers accepted her apology on behalf of the company and believed her when she said she would make sure they were well-served by the awkward Eli. The few that wouldn't buy it were offered a 10% discount on their next order. Those given that opportunity bought heavy and Eli's sales soared. Ethyl's next step was tutoring Eli on how to keep his customers happy. First, he needed to keep his mouth shut so Ethyl prepared leaflets that Eli could use. All he had to do was point to the specials and write down orders. Slowly he was taught what to say and when to say it.

When the owner died and left Ethyl the business, she decided the best thing for her was marriage. That way she could control every aspect of Eli's behavior. People were amazed at her success. Her husband looked and more importantly acted like a different person. He was immediately promoted to vice president, a position that suited his abilities and allowed even closer supervision.

And that's how they lived their lives. Ethyl drove and Eli enjoyed the view. We knew of no deviation from the script until Eli decided to slide down that laundry chute. And, of course, we know the price he paid for that.

Tales of Harper, short stories and poems about the fictional town of Harper, Mississippi is available on Amazon Kindle