The clean-out started days ago.
Backbreaking hours of heavy manual labor. Mugs couldn't help but grin.
"Probably been decades since they'd gotten that much sweat equity out of me," he muttered.
As he reached for the top shelf of the attic for a folder to add to the scrap heap, his hand hit a box teetering on the edge of disaster. The box dropped off the shelf, and a million photos floated to the ground and lay silently at his feet.
"I always meant to tape those stupid things inside some albums," he mumbled.
His foot slipped. So many slick hazards, he mused. Wouldn't do to break a hip.
He grunted, kneeling down on his knees, and began the tedious task of cleaning up his mess.
"Look at that," he muttered.
Picking up a faded black-and-white photo, Mugs held it up to the light.
"A dreamboat, too, you were back then, Mugs Gillette. If I do say so myself. Anyway, Angeline always thought so."
He heard the door slam downstairs.
"Mugs!" Ian called out.
"Up here in the pits of hell."
A mop of red hair and freckles popped its head in the attic entryway.
"I'd agree with you if we were talking your sheds. But how can there be pits in an attic, Mugs?"
"Put your young bones to good use," Mugs said. "Give me a hand with this. Will ya?"
Ian's mouth dropped.
"You gotta be some kinda Einstein," Ian said. "What's all the books and notebooks for?"
"Just remnants of a search, my boy. Just looking for answers," Mugs said, fanning the air with his hands to clear some of the dust circling his head.
"How much?" asked Ian.
"Always the eager beaver looking to make a buck, aren't you?"
Ian grinned.
"Fella's gotta make a living," Ian said.
"But you're still a kid."
"So? Just getting an early start on my fortune."
Mugs pursed his lips, looked around at the enormous clutter that still needed to be removed, and said, "Five bucks."
"Five bucks! Is that all?" Ian asked.
"Bitsy will do it for two," said Mugs.
"Bitsy's a girl, Mugs."
"So? I'm an equal opportunity employer," said Mugs.
Ian was weighing his options.
"Oh, alright," said the boy.
YOU ARE READING
Looking for Answers
General FictionA young boy helps his elderly neighbor clean out the old man's house only to find out later that the aged man has vanished into thin air.
