Ashley Enright and the Independence Day Investigation (4)

    “Mom,” Ashley shouted. “We’re home!”

    “I can hear that,” said Ashley’s mother as she came down the stairs from her office upstairs. Mrs. Enright was a public relations consultant who worked from home for clients in Boston and New York. Right now, she was working on the Donnybrook Days project for the town. She was writing a history of Donnybrook and collecting recipes for a Donnybrook cookbook.

    “Mom, we found something for you at the garage sale,” said Ashley as she followed her mother into the kitchen.

    “Oh no,” said Mr. Enright who was sitting at the kitchen table working on a model ship. “I hope you didn’t buy her a garage, because we already have one.”

    Ashley just gave her father a look and rolled her eyes as her father laughed at his own joke.

    “I’m glad to see that you crack yourself up, dear,” said Gram as she walked into the kitchen.

    “Yes,” said Ashley’s mother. “He’s his best audience.”

    “Nobody gets me,” said Ashley’s father throwing up his hands up in the air. “I’m surrounded by women and nobody gets me.”

    “Oh,” said Ashley’s mother. “We get you, alright. It’s just that your jokes are not all that funny.”

    “Well,” Ashley’s father said with a snort. “I’ll just keep my jokes to myself!”

    “Thank YOU,” said Ashley, her mother and Gram in unison. Then, they all laughed and Ashley’s father joined in the laughter.

    “Alright,” he said. “I’ll try and knock it off with the corny jokes. Seriously, what did you find at the garage sale?”

    “I found this leather case full of letters,” said Ashley.

    “Letters?” asked her father. “What’s so special about letters?”

    “I don’t know, exactly,” said Ashley. “But, I thought there might be something interesting in there for Mom’s Donnybrook Day project.”

    “Oh, I see,” said Ashley’s father nodding his head.

    “Ashley,” said her mother. “That was very thoughtful of you. I’m sure there’ll be something interesting in there.”

    “I think there might be,” said Gram. “The man who was having the garage sale said that his family’s been in Donnybrook for years.”

    “I can’t wait to go through the papers,” said Ashley’s mother. Then she paused, looked at her husband and exclaimed, “Oh no, don’t tell me.”

    “I’m afraid so,” said Ashley’s father. “Do you know where the nail polish remover is?”

    “Why does Dad need nail polish remover?” asked Ashley.

    “Because, once again, he’s glued his finger to the mast of the ship,” said her mother.

    Her father had a sheepish look on his face and then held up his finger. Sure enough, the mast of the model ship that he was making was glued to his finger.

Ashley Enright and the Independence Day Investigation (3)

    Gram and Ashley were amazed at all of the things that were for sale. Gram picked up a beautiful leather case.

    “Look, Ashley,” said Gram. “Isn’t this case gorgeous?”

    Ashley felt the leather on the case and said, “It sure is.” She opened the case and said, “Wow, it looks like it’s loaded with letters.”

    At that time, the owner of the house came over to the table.  He introduced himself as Mr. Peabody.

    “I see that leather case has caught your eye, little lady,” he said to Ashley.

    “It’s beautiful,” said Ashley.

    “Yes,” said Gram. “You have so many beautiful things for sale, Mr. Peabody.”

    “Thank you,” said Mr. Peabody. “My goal is to sell everything I can and move down to Florida.”

    “Don’t you like Maine?” Ashley asked.

    “Oh, I like it,” said Mr. Peabody. “But, I’ve been here my whole life, it’s time for a change.”

    “I guess Florida is quite a change from Maine, dear,” said Gram. “How much is this portfolio case?”

    “Oh, I guess $30 would be o.k.,” said Mr. Peabody.

    “Really?” asked Ashley. “It’s only thirty dollars?”

    “Ssh,” Gram whispered out of the corner of her mouth. “Don’t give him any ideas!”

    “Yes,” said Mr. Peabody. “Thirty dollars is a fair price. Why would you want a bunch of old papers anyway?”

    “Well,” answered Ashley. “My mother is working on the Donnybrook Days event and I thought that your papers might have some neat town history in them.”

    “They probably do,” said Mr. Peabody. “My family’s been here for ages.”

    “Are you sure you want to sell these?” Ashley asked earnestly.

    Gram gave her a look and rolled her eyes.

    “I’m sure of it,” said Mr. Peabody. “I hope you find something you can use in there.” He handed the case to Ashley and Gram handed him the thirty dollars.

    “Ladies, it’s been a pleasure doing business with you,” said Mr. Peabody.

    “Good luck in Florida,” said Ashley.

    “Thank you, little lady,” said Mr. Peabody with a wink. “I can almost feel that that warm sand beneath my feet.”

    Ashley and Gram looked around at some of the other tables that Mr. Peabody had in his driveway. Gram bought a crystal glass bowl for her dining room table.

   “This will look wonderful filled with fresh flowers,” Gram said to Ashley as they got into Gram’s blue Chevrolet, Old Bessie.

    Old Bessie usually didn’t start the first time that Gram turned the key in the ignition. She usually had to pump the gas pedal a few times. She’d always pat the dashboard and say, “Old Bessie always gets me where I need to go…eventually.”

    When they reached the Enright’s house on Foggy Bottom Road, Ashley ran ahead of Gram up the front porch steps and into the house.

Ashley Enright and the Independence Day Investigation (2)

    There were already a few cars parked on the street in front of the house on Wexner Avenue when Gram and Ashley pulled up near the house.

    “Gee,” said Ashley. “I thought we’d be one of the first ones here.”

    “Oh no, dear,” said Gram. “I’m sure that some of these cars have been here since early morning. Some people are very serious about garage sales.”

    “I guess so,” said Ashley. “Look, they must be ready. The garage door just opened up and they’ve brought some tables of stuff out to the driveway.”

    Sure enough, two men had just carried our four tables piled with garage sale items. It took a few minutes for the men to get everything set up on the tables. Then, a tall, thin man wearing an orange t-shirt, overalls and a Boston Red Sox baseball cap walked to the end of the driveway. He moved the orange traffic cones that had blocked the driveway. He tipped his cap and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, our garage sale is now open!”

    Ashley couldn’t believe how fast people go out of their cars and started pawing through the stuff on the tables. “Wow,” she said as she got out of Gram’s car. “Look at everyone! They’re practically running up the driveway!”

    Gram laughed and said, “I know, dear. I told you that some people take this very seriously! Let’s go and try not to get run over!”

Ashley Enright and the Independence Day Investigation (part 1)

     It was a beautiful June Saturday morning in Donnybrook, Maine. Twelve-year-old Ashley Enright had gotten up early (even if it was a Saturday!) She thought to herself, as she went downstairs to the kitchen, “I don’t want to waste a minute of my summer vacation!” She was startled by the sound of the ringing telephone on the kitchen wall. She quickly picked it up before it rang again and disturbed her parents or younger sister, Kelly who were all still sleeping upstairs.

    “Hello?” she said softly.

    “Good morning, dear!” said her beloved grandmother, Gram, on the phone.

    “Gram,” said Ashley. “Is anything wrong? Why are you calling so early?”

    “Wrong, dear?” Gram said. “No, of course nothing’s wrong, dear. Why would you think that anything’s wrong?”

    “Because you’re calling so early in the morning,” Ashley answered.

    “Early, dear?” said Gram. “My clock in the kitchen says it’s 10 o’clock. That’s hardly early, dear!”

    “Gram,” said Ashley with a sigh. “Your clock must’ve stopped last night. It’s only 7 a.m.”

    “Oh dear,” Gram chuckled. “You’re right. I don’t see the second hand running on the clock! Well, no wonder I felt so tired this morning!”

    Ashley laughed and said, “Well, if it really was 10 a.m., why were you calling? What’s up?”

    “What’s up, dear,” said Gram. “Is a yard sale at one of the homes on Wexner Drive.”

    “You mean one of those old houses?” asked Ashley.

    “Old houses mean ‘old money,’ my dear,” answered Gram. “We might find something really special!”

    “So, I guess you want to go to this sale, right?” asked Ashley.

    “Yes, indeed,” Gram answered. “It’s too good to miss!”

    “O.k., when do you want to pick me up?” said Ashley.

    “Well, the sale starts at 11, so I thought we should get there by 10:45. I was going to pick you up by 10:30,” said Gram.

    Ashley laughed and said, “I guess you thought that’d be pretty soon when you looked at your kitchen clock.”

     Gram chuckled.

    “Why don’t you come over for breakfast?” asked Ashley. “Everyone should be up in a little while. It’ll be a nice way to start the weekend.”

    “Great idea, Ashley,” Gram said. “I’ll be there in about a half an hour. Thank you for the invitation, dear.”

    “Gram,” said Ashley. “You know you don’t need an invitation!”

    “I know, dear,” said Gram. “But, it’s always nice to be asked! I’ll see you in a while.” She said ‘goodbye’ and hung up.