Peace and Quiet

Many years ago we were visiting North Carolina and went to a flea market (some things never change, right?) It was really cold and the flea market was in an old building and it was really cold in there so many of the booths weren’t even open. There was one elderly man sitting at a booth. He hardly had anything in there for sale and I stopped and talked to him for a while. Vince came up and he told the man something like “I’m surprised you’re open today.” The old man said “This is where I come for peace and quiet. My wife never stops nagging!” I don’t know if he was halfway joking or if he was really serious but it was kinda sad.

A few minutes ago, I turn the a/c up a bit because I was cold. Not a minute after I sat down, Vince turned the fan on. I said “I’m freezing and you turned the fan on!” He sat down (didn’t turn the fan off!) and then Rita started telling him she needed to go outside. Vince said “I need a little peace and quiet!” I said “Take a chair out and go sit in your shop.” Then we both at the same time said “Remember the old man in North Carolina!”

I wonder if he ever thought that 20+ years later, someone would be remembering him and talking about him.