French Provincial nightstand, 1972:
Jergens lotion
Sun-In Hair Lightener (turned your hair a brassy orange, but your boyfriend, Vernon, didn’t seem to mind)
Esso gas credit card
Sundry stapled syllabi
Curled Siddhartha paperback
Photos of friends in plastic frames (with one huge VW-type daisy sticker) giving the peace sign, still wearing braces (the sixties hit the south a little late…as in–the seventies)
Disastrous halter in a madras print that you are trying to finish for Home Ec
Warm Sprite in ribbed plastic tumbler
Tortoise-shell glasses, with dangling arms
One huge gold hoop earring
Princess phone with curly cord (receiver tucked under your pillow so you could stay on the phone all night with Vernon)
French Country Nightstand, 2011:
Foot gel (mint)
Teeth bleach tube (can’t find tray)
Bleach for age-spots (tiny tube from dermatologist) Not just ‘Marcia,’ but bleach, bleach, bleach…
Various jars and tubes of anti-aging miracle serums and gels, labels turned towards wall so you aren’t constantly reminded of the whole aging process thingy
Sundry medicine and vitamin bottles (note to self: you are slowly turning into one of those commercials that they show during the nightly news–see blog)
Old bottle of water
Stacks of paperbacks including: Eat, Pray, Love; Olive Kitteridge; Writing Down the Bones; Blink and Love the One You’re With (loved the seventies song) on top of self-help book about menopause with cover turned down so as not to be a constant reminder
Silver-framed photos of children when they were still in braces
Tortoise-shell reading glasses from CVS, with dangling arms
One large gold hoop earring
Rubber ear plugs
Half-dead cellphone left on, in case children call from car, college, bar, hospital, etc.
You are still Sullivan Wells– just an older version of the same song.
Very clever how you compared night stands from two different eras in your life. Made me smile.
I love this post! It made me want to come up with the same concept – like comparing my kitchen 20 years ago and now. Loved the old bottle of water and one hoop earring. I think I have the same bottle in my nightstand. Classic!