The Kitchen (Chapter 43)

The kitchen in the Des Plaines house was a large farmhouse type kitchen with the pantry and the family bathroom at one end. There was no dining room - all meals were eaten at the large kitchen table. The living room was a double room with curious pillars separating it. The front door opened into it from the sleeping porch where Irv and Eric had their beds - a far cry from the elegant roomy Tudor house we had just left! I understood now why our large Gothic oak dining room furniture and many other pieces were sent in the other truck to Hopf's flat - there was no room for them here! A cyclone fence surrounded the property with a front gate and tall, untrimmed bushes hid the house. The three acre yard (large!) was full of apple trees which I loved. But there were large Elm trees and several large Maples too! There was a gravel driveway leading to a garage / barn with a loft, and behind that a chicken coop, but no chickens! It was a quiet, secluded location and I was to understand the reason for this choice later. However it was in the city bus line that went straight downtown several times a day and every morning took me right to the main entrance of Maine Township High School. Campbell was sending generous monthly checks for support and for rent and had filed for divorce. He was going to leave everything else up to the judge and lawyers. But mother had no intention of divorcing him, not yet, and did not for ten more years.