Clump #63: Clear papers and books from family room chest.

Below is the chest I had in mind (or what’s underneath): the repository of previous paper purging projects.  (Alliteration!)  Aack!!  So many homeless items in need of decisions.

Getting rid of our excess paper, for me, is like the children’s story, The Cat In The Hat Comes Back, by Dr. Seuss.  What can go wrong with such a friendly-looking fellow?  (The Cat representing paper in this analogy.)  Come on into the house!

For those who don’t remember, the good, hard-working brother and sister of the story are left alone, shoveling snow.  Trouble starts when The Cat takes a bath while eating cake.  Ah, that pretty, benign-looking pink frosting leaves a pink ring around the tub.  No problem, The Cat assures the worried children, he can easily get it off.

“Do you know how he did it? / WITH MOTHER’S WHITE DRESS! /Now the tub was all clean, /But her dress was a mess!”
Out, out, damn spot!  Oops, that’s a different story.  Since I was a kid, I’ve never lost the “Mother-will-come-home-and-we’ll-be-in trouble” anxiety this tale so effectively creates.

The persistent pink stain went from the tub to the dress, to the wall, to Dad’s shoes, to the carpet, the bed, ….

Well, I won’t spoil the ending.  My point is that the eradication of long-neglected papers feels as dispiriting and futile as The Cat’s stubborn pink spot removal.  From the study, to the floor, to the chest … each time getting smaller and smaller, but still there.

My very own, personal, paper trail of white.  Will it ever be permanently put out of sight??

And — ah, I can breath again — the after photo.  Mothers and others may now enter our home.

When (not if) I get down to the end of the papers, I will have to have cake in the tub, with pink icing, to celebrate!