While the rest of the world braces for computer chaos that
is supposed to be brought on by the infamous Y2K, Faith
Bass Darling has a different priority. She is the sole
occupant of her family's mansion in her hometown of Bass,
Texas. On December 31, 1999 she is convinced that she has
had a message from God that today will be the last day of
her life, that she will die the next day and she needs to
get rid of everything she owns.
So, Faith does what any proper East Texas lady would do -
to prepare for this momentous occasion, seventy-year-old
Faith dons her best white summer dress and matching sun
hat; she hires her paper-boy and some of his teenage
friends to carry her belongings out onto the big wrap-
around porch and front lawn; and she empties out her family
silverware chest to use as a money box -- she's ready for
the sale. And what a sale it is. Tiffany lamps are going
for $1 a piece, Spode china sets for a little bit of
nothing, priceless heirloom paintings for a quarter and
more are some of the "bargains" Faith tags for a garage
sale. And the town of Bass goes wild at the prospect of
acquiring some of the famous Bass belongings.
What the town doesn't realize is that Faith is suffering
from the onset of Alzheimer's disease, and it has hidden
any memory of the care given to these heirlooms by
generations of her family.
As the town sheriff John Jasper Johnson struggles to get
Faith to understand what she is doing, local antique shop
owner Bobbie Ann Blankenship puts in a call to Faith's long-
gone daughter Claudia to come and try to get her momma to
see reason and to try and save some of the Darling family's
possessions before it's too late. But there is more at
stake here than just one woman's misguided attempt at
ridding herself of her possessions -- family secrets and
tragic memories are at the heart of the matter, and it
would take a whole lot more than talking to mend the severe
cracks in the Darling family.
In her debut novel, "Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage
Sale," author Lynda Rutledge tells the story of East Texas
splendor and eccentricities with a lively, fast-paced story
that is full of both delight and heartache.
Rutledge tells the story of Faith's life in a series of
flashbacks. Her family losses are huge, and Rutledge weaves
the tale in a moving and sensitive manner. The idea of the
garage sale and bargain-pricing of invaluable items helps
the reader to understand that Faith puts no stock in her
worldly possessions, and what ultimately matters to Faith
Bass Darling is freedom from her mind, which she constantly
struggles to keep intact. And ultimately her family and
friends come to understand the process that Faith is going
through, and it begins to make sense after all.
This fascinating book draws a line between rich and poor
and offers an important message that wealth doesn't
necessarily bring happiness. Well-written and original in
it's premise, "Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale" is a
charming debut novel that will resonate with readers with
it's gentle humor and it's heartfelt storytelling.
On the last day of the millennium, sassy Faith Bass Darling decides to have a garage sale. Why is the richest lady in Bass, Texas, a recluse for twenty years, suddenly selling off her worldly possessions?As the townspeople grab up the heirlooms, and the antiques reveal their own secret stories,a cast of characters appears to witness the sale or try to stop it. Before the day is over, they’ll all examine their roles in the Bass family saga, as well as some of life’s most imponderable questions: Do our possessions possess us? What are we without our memories? Is there life after death or second chances here on earth? And is Faith really selling that Tiffany lamp for $1?
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