Jason and his Grandmother, parts 3152 - 3155

 3152. She went upstairs and while she was gone I  walked into the kitchen.  Right away I  noticed that the entire house had been cleaned up since the night before.

 3153. Jason’s grandmother did not come back down for a long time and I  began to feel very awkward and uncomfortable.  Everything in the house struck me in the form of a riddle to be figured out, and so I  was unable to take my eyes away from certain very ordinary things. Take for example, the handle of the refrigerator. The handle was dark brown with dirt and there was a black stain spreading out from the handle in all directions.

 3154. The side of the refrigerator facing the stove was covered with flecks of food. Most strange of all to my eye was a quart bottle of beer on the counter by the sink , nearly empty. I  did not know that beer came in quarts; there was something ominous about its shape and color. I  thought about the appliances in my Mother’s kitchen that were washed down so often the enamel was worn away in the corners.

3155. Mrs. Sweet still did not come back down, so there was nothing for me to do but leave. I opened the door. I  stood half in and half out. It seemed rude to just go away like that without saying anything but I  couldn’t stand my nervousness. Finally she started back down the stairs and I  practically shouted out, “I’ve got to go now,” and rushed out of the house.