Since we had moved houses five times by now, packing up everything within two weeks wasn't a huge issue. Aunt Jenna and Andy were there in no time and a few of the college residents offered to help out too.
Below are the 5 basic stages of packing up a whole house for a move.
(Courtesy of my family history)
1. The Pre-planning stage
The new house must be visited, inspected and furniture in the previous house must be planned out accordingly.
2. The intense systematic stage
Everything must be systematically packed into correctly labelled and numbered boxes according to each room. Kitchen items, ornaments, glassware etcetera, etcetera. Dad's items are separated. Jimmy's items are separated. Evy's items are separated. Everything is separately packed.
3. The heated stage
Time starts running out. Pack small items into wherever they fit. Prepare to discover random long-lost items in the following few months.
4. The frantic stage
A lot more random items that have no proper classification turn up. Everyone packing decides it's a good idea to name those particular boxes as "Evy's bits and bobs" whether or not the bits and bobs belong to Evy.
5. The final hysterics
It's the day before the move! The rest of the stuff lying around fit into rucksacks, polythene bags, buckets, basins, baskets, jars... whatever containers that can contain your belongings are loaded with every last bit and bob.
Aunt Jenna and Andy as always, were here from the first stage and were busy and down to work with the glassware. I, remembering the broken porcelain cup, decided it was best to start packing my own books.
Dylan came over to help out at the third stage. He was amused at how I was particular to name random, unclassified and irrelevant items that were loaded into classified boxes.
"Bedsheets, Table clothes, utensils and Jimmy's book?" he read out one label of one box, pulling a queasy face.
"Yeah, that's Jimmy's vaccine record book. I once forgot where I packed it and got into trouble at the vet"
Dylan smiled that cute, crooked smile of his. Talking about J-friends, how's Jamie? Did you manage to get her address before your last day at school?"
I had managed to get her address but I wasn't ready to write to her. School the previous week, had not gone well. I cringed remembering what had happened. Dylan noticed. He seemed concerned.
"Evanna... What's up? Did something go wrong?
I had to say something... I took a few moments and debated on how tell him a filtered version of the true story. I really couldn't tell him every single detail.
YOU ARE READING
Guitar Strings
Teen FictionMost friends are like guitar strings... some break easily, some are stronger. But eventually you will have to replace them with time. 14 y/o Evanna has to learn that the hard way.
