My Name is Rapunzel(52)

Gretta steadied her wobbly stick and turned to face me. “Listen here, dearie, you will thank me one day for all the updates in this house. Make no mistake, changes are coming. Do you not realize that if you continue living in such bizarre conditions, people will start to take notice?”

Could Gretta be right? Was I making myself more conspicuous by not trying to fit in with the times more?

“There is not a single home in this town that doesn’t have bathrooms with running water and a commode. It’s such a basic lifestyle need in these advanced times. You have to catch up.”

She had a point there. I really wanted to see what was going on, but I needed to do it my way. I gave a slight nod, as polite as she’d get from me, and I made my way back to my tower so I could dress.

I spent the entire day in the library watching the comings and goings of the workmen and their crews lugging wood for framing, copper pipes, porcelain fixtures…downstairs, upstairs. Everything got a makeover.

A workman stepped through the bathroom door and poked his head into the library. “Well, that about does it.” He wiped his hands on a towel. “We've got your toilet and sink installed. It's usable, I’ll have to come back tomorrow to finish up the rest of this part of the job, and then the plaster guys will be here the next day. Sound good?”

Gretta offered a shaky smile. Her hand trembled as she pressed down on her stick. “I can't wait to take my first shower.” She gave me a look. What did she want me to say?

“Yeah, it's been a while.” I shrugged.

“Yeah,” the workman shook his head. “I just don't know how you two ladies survived so long. My wife? She’d never have stood for it.” He chuckled as he walked toward his van.

If he only knew.

***

I crossed the kitchen floor, my eyes still not used to the new golden brown and avocado-green linoleum. I opened the mustard-colored refrigerator door and reached inside for the bottle of milk. I added that to the kitchen table next to my box of cereal and sank onto the padded bench seat of the new dinette set.

Wow. Gretta had been going all out lately—the electricity, the modern furnishings, the plumbing. I wondered what Father would say about the castle now. Fine, I had to admit, it was kind of interesting to see some things leap off the pages of my magazines into my home. I dug into my cereal in silence.

Gretta hobbled into the kitchen and went immediately to the television and switched it on.

“I wish you wouldn’t turn that on during meals.” The big television in the den was one thing, but now she had one in the kitchen? The next thing would be to install one in the bathroom. She needed to cut it out—both the spending and the changing. I couldn’t decide which was worse. Some things were sacred.

Gretta smiled. “It won’t hurt you to watch a little Leave it to Beaver, now will it? Well, my favorite is Happy Days, but it isn’t on now. The Fonz and all those other guys.” Gretta settled into the chair beside mine and reached for the Wheaties box. Bruce Jenner grinned from the cover.

Having the television really did open my eyes to a lot of things going on in the world. Trends and styles…and problems. But I had to wonder if some of those things available now like photographs, television, and video, would be my demise.

Yet, now, Mr. Jenkins, as I look back from the future and all its modern developments, I see it’s more likely that communication with an old newspaperman is what will do me in.

***

Dirty and sore from working in the vegetable garden, I hobbled up the stairs, stumbled past the bathroom and into to my tower room. I pulled a pair of flannel pajamas out of my armoire and retrieved my fluffy towel from the hook behind my door. I pulled my door shut and locked it, including the deadbolt, and slipped my key into the pocket of my robe as I left for the bathroom.

A hot soak and then maybe some television—if Gretta wasn’t watching it, anyway.

I filled the tub with plenty of suds and hot water.

Maybe one of those hospital shows about people who are dying. It reminded me how life was supposed to be lived and about the natural circle of life—birth and death. The doctors on those shows scurried around like little mice doing everything they could to save a person’s life, but when it was someone’s time to go, there was no stopping it.

I sighed. Except for me.

I sank down into the bubbles. I'd always wondered what would happen if something tragic happened, like a car accident or fall from the tower. What would happen if my body were mangled, like run over by a train or something. Would I die? Not really something I was willing to test, but it posed an interesting question.

My eyes flew open. Had I fallen asleep in the bathtub? I didn't feel that tired, maybe I was coming down with something. I sure hoped not. I lifted the drain with my toe and let the water begin running out of the tub.