Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 8
Only the Best Will DO
BY MOLLY DUGGER BRENNAN | ILLUSTRATION BY LEAH COFFMAN
A Halloween story.
M
y great uncle was Emmett Maxwell, who
owned a plumbing supply business, and
referred to himself as the " Copper Pipe
King. " Emmett had built a comfortable
life for himself, with a lovely house and a new Cadillac
every year, eating out in the finest restaurants, and
golfing for fun. Emmett was truly a success, a self-made
man, but he was lonely.
Emmett's first wife passed away after a terrible influenza
swept through Richmond, Virginia. Emmett
missed Darla so much and thought he'd never feel
happiness again. Darla was quiet, intelligent and kind
to her very core. Her loss at the tender age of 34 hit
Emmett hard. For years, Emmett plodded through life
looking like sadness in a suit. Joy forgot where Emmett
lived and he just went to work, ate dinner out and went
home. That's it. No friends, no golf, no laughter. It was
like Darla sucked every ounce of life out of their home
when she died and Emmett couldn't re-create it.
Then came Beatrice Underwood Truslow Payne.
Beatrice had been married twice before, actually widowed
twice. That seemed unlucky but Emmett did
not mind. Emmett loved Beatrice's spark. Miss Bea8
BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
trice was what my mama called " fancy. " Beatrice had
to have the very best of everything. She was always
" done. " Her hair was done, her nails were done, her
dresses were the latest, her heels the flashiest, no sirree,
you did not ignore Beatrice when she came your way.
If Darla had been a quiet evening of classical music,
Beatrice was a Tilt-a-Whirl carnival ride.
Beatrice brought life back to Emmett. She giggled
and he started laughing again. He started taking better
care of himself. They went dancing and to shows. They
went on lots of vacations. Their wedding was the society
event. She got him to move from his beloved home
to an impressive mansion on Monument Avenue. Of
course, the new house meant they needed staff and she
hired a gardener, cook, maids and a butler. They both
got new Cadillacs for Christmas every year. They were
living large. If Beatrice had a favorite phrase or a life
mantra, it was " Only the best will do. "
Beatrice's desire for finer things was unquenchable
and eventually, it became awkward even for the Copper
Pipe King. Emmett started saying no. Beatrice's
tears prevented the inevitable budget cuts at first but
then Emmett put his foot down. You can have any one
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Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 3
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 4
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 5
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 6
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 7
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 8
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 9
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Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 11
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Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - Cover4
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