May 11, 2010. Chevy Chase, Md. Peppy.

Peppy is a very funny lady. Things just keep happening to her. Two years ago she sold her house and was not able to take her dog to the new apartment, so she found the dog a good family. One day the lady who took the dog called Peppy to say that the dog had died and wanted to bring over the dog's ashes to Peppy. She felt that as Peppy always loved the dog, the ashes should be left with Peppy. Now Peppy did not want the ashes delivered to her apartment all boxed up in a wooden box with Scruffy on a brass plaque. But now the ashes reside beside Peppy's bed, whether she wanted them or not.

Several years before, one of our friends died. Joyce died after two years of illness. She and her husband lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and several friends from work were close to Joyce during this period of illness and got to know her husband. Two day's after Joyce died, the husband called Peppy to ask is she would come to their house and choose some object that had been Joyce's. This seemed to be a pleasant gesture. When Peppy arrived, three day's after Joyce's death, the husband had already put all the clothes and objects and books owned by Joyce in plastic bags and asked Peppy to choose some object. Peppy choose one silk scarf that she had often seen Joyce wear. What seemed a pleasant gesture soon became bizarre. Next was the question of the jewelery, when Peppy suggested that they all be given to the nieces. When Peppy was getting ready to drive away,already a bit spooked with the scene, the husband reached into the car and handed Peppy an urn, holding the ashes of Joyce. The husband was determined to have Peppy leave with the ashes. Ultimately Peppy scattered her ashes in Florida, at the last place Joyce and Peppy and other friends enjoyed together. But I have no idea how on earth Peppy was left with the ashes. This couple seemed happy and loving but certainly the husband wanted everything of Joyce gone from their house.

I must say we laughed, thinking of Peppy as the recipient of these ashes. Now she must spread the dog's ashes some place that he loved to run. Then she will be finished with ashes.