Naomi wanted to stay with planters, at least that’s all she wanted on the shelves Howard made for her in an empty place along the fence in the back of the yard, a yard with few empty places. As owner of Amy’s Antiques for the last 34 years, Naomi had acquired more than a few things that were too large for the inside of the shop and that were weather proof. Bird baths, bad concrete reproductions of classic sculpture, sections of wrought iron gates and fences, and a lot of garden ornaments, flower pots and planters filled the fenced yard space out the shop’s back door.
Even though it did not look organized, to Naomi it was in perfect order. She knew where everything was and everything was where it was supposed to be.
Howard walked in one day with a cardboard box filled with coffee cups, nearly proclaiming the deal he’d gotten from Sherman and Nancy who were closing up the San-Mar Diner. Naomi reminded Howard he was not to buy merchandise without checking with her first.
“That’s the beauty of it,” he said “They were free. I didn’t buy them.”
Naomi told him to put them on the new shelves out back with the planters, which he did.
As he walked past she said “That junk will outlive us both,” to which Howard said “Probably...yep...probably.”