The Third Garage Sale

We had visited two garage sales before she whispered "Over here".  On a table covered with someone's memories, sat two old seltzer bottles.  They were like the ones the Three Stooges used to spray each other with.  Their significance long forgotten, they had rested quietly on someone's shelf for years until today when they found themselves sitting on a table in the sunshine of an April Saturday.   She saw them first.

I heard him say "Jackie, What in the hell are you going to do with a couple of damned old bottles?"  He never liked that kind of stuff.

She looked carefully at the bottles, checking the markings on the bottom, and the almost invisible seams up the sides.  She read the etching on the sides of the bottles.  One was from the Bronx, but the other was from Philly.  She looked closely at the pump mechanism, and worked the levers up and down a couple of time.

"Just more damn junk", he said shaking his head and looking up at the new leaves of yet another spring.

Finally, she looked at the little old lady, and said "How much?"

"Two dollars"

"I'll take them.", I said, and I realized just how much I miss Mom and Dad.