CONTINUING... surprises & changes (Part 139n)

CONTINUING... surprises & changes (Part 139n)

Walking up to the kitchen door we saw a note stuck into the screen. It was from Pat (the PTA lady) encouraging us to come to her house at 7pm for an “informal PTA meeting”. What made the note different was there was a line at the bottom for us to bring the kids as it wasn’t a party. I asked Elle if she knew anything about it and all she could add was that when she’d gone grocery shopping a number of parents had gathered outside and were complaining about the lack of information at the open Board meeting on Thursday. With Pat as the head of the PTA Elle offered that it might have something to do with that.

If you’ve been reading this tome for any length of time you already know that I didn’t like Pat. BUT... since Phyllis had moved in next door she’d been replaced as my least favorite female. I was leery of going and told Elle I’d think about it but I told her it also might be a good idea to call some of the other members of the old “group” to see just what they knew. With two members of the “group” now the wives of Board members I figured she’d be able to get some good information.

I’d taken the garbage to the landfill and mowed the front yard before Elle took the neighbors clothes off the wash line. I kept my eyes on it because I wanted to have an unrestricted view of the panties when she took them inside. I’d already worked it out in my mind to wait until she started hanging our things out and then go inside and have a good look at them.

I waited until I could see her hanging sheets on the line before ducking inside. Elle had taken their clothes basket into the dining room for some reason and put it on the table but, that did give me some working room for my 'inspection'. I pretty much knew her routine for loading her wash basket and that was to have smaller items on top. Sure enough, there were socks on the very top followed by some bras.. I carefully removed both piles and there to behold were three separate piles of panties. One was obviously nylon... and they appeared to all be pastel colors with the exception of the one on top. I had to start with that pair and was excited to see they were the ‘froggy’ panties I seen on Barbara when we’d played tennis the night before. I looked for a label but there didn’t appear to be one. They seemed to be nylon but it seemed to be heavier than any nylon that I’d ever had my hands on. It was another ‘first’ for me.

The other two piles were both cotton band leg panties. I was sure that when I picked a pair up that they would be just like the ones that I’d seen and touched on the wash line right after the people had moved in next door. The label was right there in front of me... a 14 on the top with the words “Genuine Lollipop Brief’ followed by the Modern Globe diamond logo. Modern Globe sized their girls panties using an approximate age just as Carter's did. Holding them up to the front window it was clear to see the opaqueness caused by the double back panel.  I’d thought about that a couple of times after first seeing it and just couldn’t fathom why they had done that but they had. I took a look to make sure Elle was still by the wash line and then returned to my investigation. I picked up another pair and found the same thing only on this pair the label was washed out a bit and the crotch had the same familiar staining that Elle’s ribbed cotton panties that she used at night had. I pulled another pair off the other pile and found the same staining. After check of a few more I became convinced that she (Barbara) had a similar problem to Elle’s. I also remember finding a few pair that weren’t stained and appeared to be new. There were a total of eight in the two piles. All in all, it was very interesting.

All of a sudden I heard voices in the kitchen. I’d let my mind become so occupied trying to come up with a reason for the second panel in the panties that I’d forgotten to check on where Elle was. There were a bunch of panties lying on the table and I knew there was no time to refold them and get them back into the wash basket. I just swept them off the table and onto the chair that was pulled under the table. I did get the socks and bras back on the top of the remaining panties before heading for the front door. It was open and I knew that was my only chance to escape. I pushed the screen door open but took one last look back and saw one pair had been hidden behind the basket. I made a swipe for them and went out into to the front yard. It was warm but the perspiration running down my face wasn’t from the heat. As I made my way around to the back yard I stuffed the single pair of panties I had in my hand into my pocket. I made it to the garage and the lawn mower before I heard Elle calling. The only thought I had was that she’d discovered the panties on the chair. When I walked into the kitchen she had a plate with some salad for me for lunch. I could hardly breathe. She asked what I’d been doing and I made up some story about fixing the cover for the window well. That was it. WHEW... again! When lunch was over the girls wanted Elle to cover the lawn swing with a sheet to keep the sun off of them. It was the perfect timing to allow me to fold and place the panties I'd left on the chair back in the wash basket. It only took a few minutes and then I went back to mowing the lawn.

At supper, it was Elle that pushed for going to Pat’s gathering. She'd talked with both Ginger and Phyl, wives of two Board of Education members, and they hadn't been very forthcoming in spite of their friendship. They claimed that they didn't know what Pat "had up her sleeve". What concerned Elle the most was the persistent rumor that some of the teachers who were still with the school were being reassigned to different grades. From her work as a substitute teacher Elle knew most of the teachers and had been pleased that Jean was due to have this one third grade teacher that she really liked... or was she? There was enough doubt in her mind that she wanted to find out what Pat had in mind.

To be continued...