Dana Leaves (Socks CCCVIII)

"Dana, have you thought about college for next fall?"
"I would like to go to Berkley."
"Where is Berkley?"
"California," Kathernia interrupted.
"It's only four years."
"There are good schools here in the city."
"Dad."
"I know, the sharpest liberal thinkers are in California."
And so it happened, in the fall, Dana came to the house wearing a pink, baggy shirt, blue pants that were big at the bottom, and a flowered band around her head.
"I'll miss you, Oma."
"Write me every week."
"I will."
"If you write once a week, I'll give you the cuckoo for your graduation."

Digesting The News (Socks CCCVII)

Elsebeth had came in and sat down, watching the TV, "Sit down Honey." Dana sat, saying nothing, staring at the screen.
Katherina walked in, joining the others. None said hardly a word.
Within an hour, Wilhiem and Donald came in together. Almost immediately, the three women started crying.
Wilhiem said that he would cook supper, while they watched. Dana went into the kitchen, "I'll help, Opa."
The family ate in front of the TV that night, Margreth had never seen them do that before.
Everyone talked of the report, but once in a while Wilhiem would bring up another subject.

Profound Change (Socks CCCVI)

Change was not new to Margreth, so when she watched Slicker become threadbare, and be replaced by a new raincoat, she took it in stride. The new coat wouldn't talk, so she did miss the stories from the outside.
Dumont also went away. A television with a larger screen, that reported in color took his place.
Donald still called Wilhiem Tightwad, that hadn't changed.
Another change was Dana. She was big enough to set Margreth's hands.
One day Dana came into the house out of breath, "Oma." She flipped on the TV, and watched.
The TV reported, "Today in Dallas..."

Threadbare (Socks CCCV)

Over time Slicker's comings and goings became almost predictable. When DuMont reported a threat of rain, or rain was falling when Wilhiem left in the morning, the raincoat was almost sure to be back. But if it was raining in the evening, he did not show up. Presumably, Slicker was dripping off on the back porch.
One day after Slicker had been on the chair Margreth noted, "Slicker has a lot of strings hanging from his cuff."
"I don't think we should mention it. His looks are so important to him, it would just upset him."
"So true, so true."

Bumpkins (Socks CCCIV)

This coat had a unique speech pattern. He used strange words as he went on to describe the outside world.
There were times when Slicker would be handed over to a strange lady, and she would hang him up next to some coats that he had never met before. He would try to start conversations with the other coats, not always succeeding.
"Some of them are just bumpkins."
A lot of times there were hats on the shelf above the coats, they were more talkative, "More open minded." Whatever that meant.
Wilhiem grabbed Slicker and headed for the door, "Ta-ta."

Fabulous, Darling (Socks CCCIII)

"There's not much to the back room. It's real small, one window, and a light bulb in the ceiling. It's the rest of the world that's fabulous."
DuMont and Margreth had heard the word fabulous before, coming across on the broadcasts, but no one had ever said it to them directly.
"I love it when I get to go out at night. All the lights, the hustle, the bustle. Simply marvelous."
There was another word.
"The crowds are so fun. Rubbing shoulders. Meeting new friends. Once I got to talk to a Zoot Suit, but alas, that was long ago."

Raincoat (Socks CCCII)

Occasionally, an object would be brought in the room, and Margreth and DuMont would strike a conversation with them.
The slicker that Wilhiem left on the chair was one of those objects. He liked the job that he did, "I work when the rain is falling."
"But you'll get wet."
"I love to get wet. It's a whole lot more comfortable than the sun's heat."
"Why do we never see you wet then?"
"Wilhiem only brings me in here after I get dry, I drip off out on the back porch."
They wanted to know more about the back porch.