The Treasures
Posted: October 22, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThis first two days I worked in the attic I was very disciplined. When I came upon something I wanted to keep like old letters and photos I put them in a box to look at later. I did not get sucked into living through every item. My pile of toss was six times bigger than my pile to keep.
Today I worked in a new area in the attic. One that had boxes that I had not open when we moved here. I found old year books and I did not flip through them. I found boxes of photos I have not seen since I took them and I did not flip through them. I just set them aside for a future job. As for now, they are in the keep pile.
Then I found a piece of art work my friend Hugh had made for me. It was badly faded, but I remembered it so I could imagine it in all it’s vibrancy. I turned it over and taped to the pack was a note from him. Hugh and I started writing a book in college called, “Excuses, excuses.” We had many excuses why we never got it done. I found a paper that I had written with a bunch of excuses for the book. Sadly, Hugh passed away a couple of years ago and I so wish he were here to laugh about these things.
In the next box I found lots of letters written to me in the first few years after college from all kinds of friends. I made the mistake of reading one, and then another and another. It was certainly a fun walk down memory lane. The best part is I am still great friends with many of the people who wrote those letters. I will eventually be sharing them with the writers.
I did find some letters from people I have no idea where they are. Some from my good friends old girl friends, or ex wives, some from old boy friends. I also found letters I wrote to old boys friends and did not send, or may be they were rough drafts and I did send them. Does not matter now. They are all thrown away.
I found pay stubs from my first job and many sales person of the month plaques. I was amazed that I got sales person of the month my fourth month on the job. I did not remember that at all. I found old calendars and randomly flipped through some pages seeing what I did in 1985. I still threw those away.
I found boxes and boxes of old Gourmet magazines and barley opened the boxes and put them in the trash heep. If anyone wants them call me as I am getting worried that the dumpster is not going to be big enough to hold all I am getting rid of.
I have no idea why so many stuffed animals made it to the attic, but at this point I know they have to be bio hazards. I am keeping Carter’s childhood rocking chair and some good wooden toys.
One of my favorite boxes had a map to my friend’s John’s house, as back in the day we needed maps.
My two college id’s, the best one being of me talking, which was the most perfect ID for me ever.
The invitation to my 30th birthday, a change of address card for me and my dog Beau, and 2 boxes -which had to be 1,000 business cards, from my catering business.
I also found a letter from my grandmother admitting I was her favorite grandchild, asking me not to tell the others.
I found a card from Suzanne telling me that if I had a penis she would marry me. Certainly evidence that we were destined to be life long friends. I found a photo from my friend Lauren’s wedding – another friend who left this world much too young. And I read a letter from my friend Stori asking me if she could come and live with me after the break up of her first engagement. Stori is gone too. All this in one box.
I was in the attic for hours and barley made a dent in one corner, although I think it was the densest corner of things I have not looked at in the longest time. I will be back at it first thing in the morning and am going to desperately try and not read so much. Honestly, it was so much fun, except for the old boy friend letters, it is going to be hard not too look so closely at what I find.
