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These are the things with which she made a home. Her contributions to our sense of place were humble and put forth with great intent, crafts which took weeks of stitching and unstitching, measuring, cutting, gathering. I realize how much in the home was done by hand and sweat. My father had laid the carpeting and linoleum. Mom had painted the same dinner chairs twice, sewed all the window treatments. My parents were quick-fix-averse, always in for the long haul. When the country road in front of their house had been widened to a highway, they complained but never entertained the idea of moving.
這些都是她用來使這房子有個家的樣子的東西。她對給我們產生這種感覺的貢獻雖然樸素簡單，沒有一點富麗堂皇的東西，但是她卻為此付出極大的努力，那些手工制品都要花上她幾個星期的縫縫拆拆、裁裁剪剪，然后再在布上打褶。我才發現家里有多少用手和汗水弄的東西。爸爸鋪好的地毯，媽媽一個餐椅漆了兩遍，所有的窗簾都是她縫的。我的父母都討厭湊合，凡事都要做下去直到圓滿完成。雖然他們抱怨門前路因為公路擴寬了，但是從沒想過要搬家。
I scan the kitchen and picture Mom paying bills, her perfect script, the way she always listed her occupation with pride: homemaker.
我看著廚房。想象著媽媽付賬單時候的樣子，她漂亮的字體，驕傲地在填表的時候把職業一欄填上家庭主婦。
I pull scraps of peeling wallpaper from unglued seams and corners. It comes off slow and steady like skin after a sunburn.
我把墻角掉下來的墻紙都撕下來了。它們就像曬傷后掉落的皮膚，慢慢地落下來。
Mementos, I tell Ike, close my eyes. Now can hear my mother everywhere—in the kitchen, in my bedroom, on the front porch.
紀念，我告訴艾克。我閉上了眼睛。現在我能在廚房，在我的臥室，在門廊聽見媽媽的聲音。
Turn off the television.
關掉電視！
Warm up the stove.
把爐子點著！
Brush your hair.
梳頭！
Put your father's shoes where I can't see them. In the trash.
把你爸爸的鞋放到我看不見的地方。放垃圾堆里！
On Sunday, as promised, my realtor arrives a half-hour before the potential buyers and their home inspector. Your house should look as perfect as possible, he'd said before I left for the weekend.
和約好的一樣，星期日，房屋經理人比買家和房屋鑒定人早到了半個小時。在我這周走之前他跟我說，你的房子看上去越完美越好。
Ike and I had come home to a spare house; some of our chairs, photographs, and Ike's art had been relocated, as the realtor had suggested, to "let the place breathe."
艾克和我回來之后又收拾了一遍房子。椅子、照片、艾克的畫都重新擺放了。像經紀人說的，我們得讓這個房子呼吸。
I see the realtor's convertible in the driveway.
我看見了經紀人的車。
Sorry I'm late, our realtor says. He rushes to the kitchen, as if he has immediately sensed disorder. He strokes the valance over the kitchen window.
對不起，我遲到了，經紀人說。他一下子沖到廚房，好像馬上就知道哪不行一樣。他弄了一下廚房窗戶的窗簾。
Is this velvet? He says. Are these cobwebs?
這個是天鵝絨的嗎？這些……是蜘蛛網嗎？他說。
I have placed scraps of rogue wallpaper next to my stove and another in the bathroom.
我已經把羅剎女墻紙的碎片放到火爐旁邊和臥室了。
These must come down, the realtor says. Now.
這些必須拿下來，現在，經紀人說。
He pinches the curling shreds with his thumb and forefinger.
他用手指把卷起來的碎片都夾起來。
Leave it, I say. They add charm.
留著它們吧，能增加魅力，我說。
You'll never sell this house, he says, shaking his head in despail.
你永遠也賣不出去這個房子，他說，絕望地搖搖頭。
A couple in a minivan pulls up in front of the house, followed by the home inspector in a pickup truck. They come to the door, their faces already twisted with scrutiny. She is small and blond and he is thick like an old football player.
一對開著迷你面包車的夫婦把車停進了院子。后面跟著房屋檢查員的卡車。他們走到門口的時候就已經開始到處審查了。那個女的個頭很小而且很瘦，男的很結實，像退役的足球運動員。
Hi, I say. Welcome. We're about to head out; the house is all yours.
你好，歡迎。我們正要出去呢，房子是你們的了，我說。
