Marge is our new friend. She's 80. She's great.

We met Marge because she was in charge of selling a duplex next door to her house. For 30 years she and the owner had been neighbors and friends. When he died, he willed his building 50-50 to Marge and to his tenant, Helen. Helen had lived there since 1941.

For a year or two after her friend died, Marge rented out his apartment and generally looked after things. Helen stayed where she'd always been except that now she didn't have to pay rent.

Then around Christmas time, Helen moved to Arizona to live with her niece. It was time to sell. Helen left the details to Marge.

Marge figured she could handle everything. She's the kind who always has. But it turned out to be quite a job. For one thing, when Helen went away she left behind most of her furniture, sort and box, wash and clean. She hired a painter to freshly coat the kitchen and living room. There was a lot to deal with. Some of Helen's things went to St. Vincent de Paul. A great deal was thrown away. A young couple just starting out got the dining room table and chairs and a chest of drawers.

It was a help that Marge had only to walk from her house next door to work. It would have been much harder for her otherwise. But Marge has always been a hard worker, used to getting things done. No matter what, she would have found a way. For weeks she devoted herself to the task of making the building ready to sell.

By the time we had found a buyer, she had dealt with most everything Helen had left behind except the full basement. When she looked closely, Marge realized there was more there than she had thought - boxes and furniture, tools and garden implements and supplies.

We told Marge we'd help her. "Oh, o," she said, not unexpectedly. "You've already done enough." But we knew Marge would not hire anyone to help her. She would do it all - lifting, sorting, and carrying all of those things.

We didn't think that was right. And she did admit to us not long ago that she is a little slower than she used to be. Not much slower, but a little. We wanted to help her. Besides, we were curious about what was there, and we like being with Marge. She's a wonderfully good person, smart, funny, full of life. We said we'd be there the next morning. "Not too early," said Marge.

We looked in the boxes first. It is truly a fascination to see what someone else has saved, has gone to the trouble to box and label and put away. Helen must have thought she'd use these things again one day, then forgot that they were there, or perhaps she remembered and decided to skip the whole thing.
She'd saved small pieces of driftwood and colored pebbles from the beach. Pine cones, dried flowers and seeds. Picture frames, glass and picture wire. Enough needles for everyone in the world, crochet hooks, buttons, even a full dress form. We couldn't believe how many spools of thread.

There were also boxes of cleaning supplies of every sort - products to clean brass and glass and porcelain and to stop rust and touch up refrigerator paint. Most containers were labeled with the date she purchased them; often she had written their cost on the lid, and on some she had taped instructions for their use. There was even a tiny glass jar labeled "cigar ashes" which I think are handy for removing water rings from table tops. Quite a few of these products were dried up and useless. They dated back 40 years.

There were college yearbooks from the '30s, suit boxes filled with gift-wrap, ribbons and pre-formed bows. Magazines and newspapers with historical headlines.

I guess everyone enjoys a treasure hunt. The three of us laughed and exclaimed and said, "What is this? Should we throw it away? Do you want it?"

It was fun. It was work. We were there all day sorting, making piles, moving things around. We recycled much, took to Marge's house what she could use, made a new pile for St. Vincent de Paul.

We each got some of the Lysol and SOS pads. I got a big yellow bowl and lots of pretty sea shells. Anet got a patchwork quilt. She also wanted the Life magazines and the newspapers, but decided against the pile of National Geographics.

I was surprised that we found no clothes, no books, no boxes of canceled checks -- all of these are in boxes in my own basement. I guess everyone saves different things. But we could hardly wait to see what was in the next box, and that was the fun. Someday someone will be cleaning out my things. I hope whoever it is enjoys discovering what I have saved.

Marge said she didn't need any more flowerpots, so I got them. We divided between us the African violet food and the rose sprays. We'll use them on our own gardens. We walked the rest of the fertilizers outside and applied them directly to the plants.