We’ve been living here in Burk’s Falls since last November, and whenever I try to explain to a local resident where we reside, I tell him or her that we’re in the house next to the one with the elephant mural painted on the garage door. A lady named Beryl was the owner of that house and, though I never met her, I know people called her The Elephant Lady”, because she collected all things related to elephants. Beryl died recently, and there was a big garage sale in front of her house over Labour Day weekend.
Because we are presently living next door, I was curious to see what was up for sale. There were a lot of people rummaging around, and I assumed there was some good booty available. I ended up buying some elephant figurines and a little brass bell that had the word “Jasper” stamped on it. Shauna went over a little later and bought a bunch of stuff which is now sitting in one of the empty bedrooms in our Burk’s Falls bungalow.
Over the several days preceding the garage sale, I had occasion to meet all of Beryl’s children, as they prepared to dispose of all of their mother’s belongings. It was strange to watch that process unfold, knowing as I do that this day will come someday soon for me and my sister. Beryl’s children seemed resolved to make sure that much of Beryl’s stuff sold, and they didn’t seem all that concerned with achieving the highest price. Almost everything was cheap. I think I can understand their desire to get rid of all those possessions. Keep some mementoes, some things that are special to you, and let the rest go. After all, you can’t keep it all, and you can’t take it with you.
After the sale was over, Shauna and I were invited over for the late night after party, wherein all the kids and their spouses did some serious imbibing to let off some steam from what had likely been a stressful experience. There is a grim finality to liquidating an estate. There were tears, there was laughter, there were stories about this old woman, whom Shauna and I had never met, but whom we came to know through her children. Clearly there was a lot of love and emotion in that family. We learned of Beryl’s world travels, of her late husband, of her likes and dislikes. All of the spouses of Beryl’s children referred to themselves as “the outlaws” because, at some point or another, all of those IN-laws had had at least one run-in with this strong-minded woman.
I remember feeling weird after the weekend was over, because after all Beryl’s kids had packed up their cars and left, I realized that I was going to miss them. They were all a lot of fun and I liked each and every one of them. I even liked their kids. Indeed, you can’t take it with you, and he who dies with the most toys does NOT win. I know I’ve accumulated too much stuff in my short life, and I don’t even have any kids who will be charged with the task of disposing of it all. To whom do I leave an antique post card collection? In the end, it’s not the rattan elephant baskets or the embroidered linens, or the valuable ceramic collectibles that define a person, it is the love that he or she has given and received. I can say this … “The Elephant Lady” was well loved.
Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2008 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Because we are presently living next door, I was curious to see what was up for sale. There were a lot of people rummaging around, and I assumed there was some good booty available. I ended up buying some elephant figurines and a little brass bell that had the word “Jasper” stamped on it. Shauna went over a little later and bought a bunch of stuff which is now sitting in one of the empty bedrooms in our Burk’s Falls bungalow.
Over the several days preceding the garage sale, I had occasion to meet all of Beryl’s children, as they prepared to dispose of all of their mother’s belongings. It was strange to watch that process unfold, knowing as I do that this day will come someday soon for me and my sister. Beryl’s children seemed resolved to make sure that much of Beryl’s stuff sold, and they didn’t seem all that concerned with achieving the highest price. Almost everything was cheap. I think I can understand their desire to get rid of all those possessions. Keep some mementoes, some things that are special to you, and let the rest go. After all, you can’t keep it all, and you can’t take it with you.
After the sale was over, Shauna and I were invited over for the late night after party, wherein all the kids and their spouses did some serious imbibing to let off some steam from what had likely been a stressful experience. There is a grim finality to liquidating an estate. There were tears, there was laughter, there were stories about this old woman, whom Shauna and I had never met, but whom we came to know through her children. Clearly there was a lot of love and emotion in that family. We learned of Beryl’s world travels, of her late husband, of her likes and dislikes. All of the spouses of Beryl’s children referred to themselves as “the outlaws” because, at some point or another, all of those IN-laws had had at least one run-in with this strong-minded woman.
I remember feeling weird after the weekend was over, because after all Beryl’s kids had packed up their cars and left, I realized that I was going to miss them. They were all a lot of fun and I liked each and every one of them. I even liked their kids. Indeed, you can’t take it with you, and he who dies with the most toys does NOT win. I know I’ve accumulated too much stuff in my short life, and I don’t even have any kids who will be charged with the task of disposing of it all. To whom do I leave an antique post card collection? In the end, it’s not the rattan elephant baskets or the embroidered linens, or the valuable ceramic collectibles that define a person, it is the love that he or she has given and received. I can say this … “The Elephant Lady” was well loved.
Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2008 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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