Buttons and Bones (2010) by Ferris Monica

Author:Ferris, Monica [Monica, Ferris,]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Published: 2011-01-14T19:17:48.437000+00:00

IT was a member of the Monday Bunch who suggested a use for the social security number. The next morning, Phil came in to buy yarn to crochet a second cup cover, this one for his wife, and Godwin filled him in on the latest in Betsy and Jill’s sleuthing.

“Did you know,” said Phil, “that if you send three dollars to the Social Security Administration along with a name and social security number, they will forward a message to that person?”

Betsy chuckled. “Now, Phil, that’s got to be an urban legend!”

“Swear to God,” said Phil, raising both hands and his skein of yarn, right hand higher than the left. “Daughter of a friend of mine reconnected with an old boyfriend that way.”

“How did this woman just happen to know her old boyfriend’s social security number?”

“Because he had been a soldier, and the Army started using social security numbers as ID numbers and the two of them had written to one another after he joined up. You know, love letters. So she kept them, and his return address had his social security number on it.”

“Awwwwww,” sighed Godwin. “Did they find out they were still in love?”

“Yeah, but it didn’t last. They’d gotten too different from each other. Nothing in common but that long-ago romance.”

“Awwww!” said Godwin again but this time his tone was disappointed.

“And you know the daughter?”

“Not personally, but like I said, she’s the daughter of a friend of mine. He told me the sad story over a couple of beers one night.”

“Fair enough. Three dollars, you say.”

“Yes,” said Phil with a nod. “You send it to the Social Security Administration. Put your message in an envelope with the person’s name and number on the outside. They’ll forward it, but it’s up to the person to decide whether to get in touch, or not.”

“Are you going to try it?” asked Godwin after Phil had left.

“I think I’ll let Jill try to contact Helga—those two have the cabin in common, so I think Helga is more likely to respond to Jill.”

It was near closing time. Betsy and Godwin were sitting at the library table in the center of the shop talking about the fall window display.

“To keep on with the classes theme, let’s put up samplers and schoolhouse patterns,” Betsy said. “Which reminds me, I’ve never worked a sampler. Maybe I should, just to keep things fair.”

“‘Keep things fair’?”

“Every so often I’ll get a customer asking about doing her first sampler. I feel a little awkward recommending one or another when I’ve never even tried one myself. I should, since they were originally meant to teach little girls various stitches and their alphabet and numbers.”

“That’s all you need to know about samplers,” said Godwin. “The rest is a matter of the stitcher’s personal taste. We’ve got four sampler models on our wall in back, two books, and probably a dozen more patterns to choose from.”

“Okay, you’re right. The reason I’ve never stitched a sampler is that I just can’t whomp up the desire to.

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