A New Beginning ~ Part One

Emma Patterson works for the Greensboro Weekly News and Record. Greensboro is a small Community located on the shores of Lake Greensboro. Emma’s position with the paper is a jack of all trades with only herself and the editor, Mr. Harvey Wilson. Mr. Wilson is a crotchety old man and doesn’t see any reason to update his equipment or expand the paper to include anything but the fishing report and his editorial which is often the combined opinion of his fishing and checker playing cronies as they while away the hours at their favorite fishing spot or playing checkers by the pot belly stove in Patterson’s General Store. Emma is gathering advertising orders for this week’s edition. One request is announcing the sale of the Looking Back Antique Shop in Camden Corners. Something in that ad makes Emma stare at it again and again. A feeling of deja vu comes over her. The strange thing is that Emma has never been to Camden Corners. Emma has always enjoyed shopping for antiques, As a little girl she often joined her grandfather on trips to the country when one of the old timer’s belongings were put on the auction block for payment of back taxes or because the owner had passed on. Emma always felt a sadness as she walked through the old houses and barns knowing in her young heart that someone had been forced to give up their special things. Grandpa Amos sympathized but told her the treasures would give pleasure to someone new for many years to come. Grandpa owned the general store in Greensboro and the building it was in. The entire upstairs and most of the attic and basement were filled with treasures he had accumulated through the many years of his scavenger hunts. For several years he had a very active business going but as his health started to deteriorate and his mind wasn’t quite as sharp as it once had been, Grandpa seemed to buy more items than he was able to sell. With Emma’s keen eye, she was able to discern the valuable items from the junk. Grandpa refused to admit that he would ever buy something that held no value so everything stayed put and even the fine furniture, lamps and vases were hidden beneath a layer of dust and junk.

It was nearing the end of March during an early spring snowstorm when Grandpa took his last breath. Emma was sad but she knew Grandpa was in a better place and would be reunited with his beloved wife, Flora. After the memorial service, the townspeople met at the General Store with everyone bringing their favorite dishes. Music was playing in celebration of life that was fitting for the jolly fellow who loved a bargain.

Emma hadn’t thought much about what was going to happen to the store or the building her grandfather had left behind much less the contents. Mr. Wilson pulled Emma aside and informed her that he held the deed on the property and he would be taking possession of the entire building the following Monday. Emma couldn’t believe her ears. This was Grandpa’s store, he had built it with his own hands from the ground up. He and Grandma had lived in the quarters above the store from the first day they had become husband and wife. Mr. Wilson, with a smirk on his face showed Emma the deed that was signed over to him just a week before. Emma knew Grandpa wasn’t thinking clearly but didn’t realize the extent of his deterioration. The document was signed and sealed and the witnesses included the names of Mr. Wilson’s checker playing friends. Emma recalled overhearing Mr. Wilson ordering several new and very expensive fishing poles in the last few weeks. Now she knew who the recipients of those fishing poles were. Mr. Wilson also told Emma that the contents of the building must be moved out by 8:00 on Monday or everything would be destroyed and she would be paying the cost of the removal.