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The entire sordid story had inevitably came out in court, following her suit for divorce. This case, because of the prominence of her husband, was given considerable publicity in all the local papers, much to the humiliation of both Susan and her son Jan. He in particular, had been completely crushed, for he had both loved and admired his father greatly. This measure of respect, that he had so suddenly and cruelly lost, also what his father had always represented to him, that of a real macho man, undoubtedly had in turn, some important bearing on much of his subsequent, and quite unpredicatable, behavior.
Fortunately, for both Susan and Jan, as far as finances were concerned, the jury subsequently found her husband guilty on all counts, and at the judge's suggestion, she was awarded a very substantial monetary settlement, in addition to the divorce she had sought. As a consequence, not only was the wherewithall for Jan's education assured, but his mother was now sufficiently well provided for, that she in the future should have no financial worries.
To get away from the embarrassment resulting from this very public exposure of their former private lives, Susan decided to move at once to the New England town where they now lived, and where they were still relatively unknown. She chose this particular town only because she had attended college
here years before, and had always remembered it as an attractive and friendly place. Unfortunately, her recollection as to its friendliness had not since been confirmed, for to date neither she nor her son had made any friends from the time they had arrived. As a result, they had had to depend on one another for all their companionship. Susan now often wondered whether she had been wrong in burying themselves, as she had apparently done, so far removed from all their former friends.
Before Susan could possibly enquire as to her son's evident interest in her current activity, Jan had already spoken up, saying plaintively, a tone of voice he now all to frequently indulged,
"Mother, what on earth are you doing?"
"Why, nothing very important, dear." replied his mother. "Except sorting out some of my old clothes, and putting those aside that I have not worn during the past year, for ultimate disposal. I have been meaning to do this for quite some while, but have just kept putting it off. Finally, realizing that my closets and cupboards are now over-stuffed with clothes that I am not now using, and will probably not ever wear again, I thought it a good idea to get the job over with, and without further procrastination. Why are you so interested anyway? You have been staring at me, and at what I have been doing