Imbued

Imbued

By Kayla Schultz

Open Ended

"Have you ever had an item, like a toy or a book, that reminded you of a special memory? What was it, and why was it important to you?"

Draw

Draw a picture of that special item.

Toby, the toys stay in the box," Liz said. "We're selling, not playing." Her thirteen-year-old son glanced at a pack of Pokémon cards, nostalgia washing over him. 

He stayed quiet. "That's it, Mom. Need anything else?" Liz looked around the setup—tables, folding chair, change box, and coffee. "No, Toby, you're fine. Go inside and let your sister have a turn on the computer." 

"Thanks, Mom," he replied, stealing one last look at the cards before heading inside. 

Liz arranged her items—plates, tools, and shiny kitchen utensils. "Did I really think I couldn't live without a mango slicer?" A car's brakes startled her. A tall, lanky man with sun-darkened skin stepped out, dressed like a salesperson. He waved as he crossed the street. 

Multiple Choice

"In the passage, Toby feels 'nostalgia washing over him' when he looks at the Pokémon cards. What does the word 'nostalgia' most likely mean in this context?"

• A feeling of excitement about something new

• A sense of sadness for something he never had

• A happy or sentimental longing for the past

• A feeling of anger about losing something

"Good morning," Liz greeted. "Morning," he replied, eyeing the boxes. "Mind if I look around?" "Sure. The sale starts at nine, but I won’t tell." He picked up the mango slicer, raised an eyebrow, and set it down. 

"I'll give you a dollar for a mug if you add some coffee," he said. "Sold." Liz poured coffee for both.

"Looking for anything in particular?" 

"Books, especially Rex Stout. Can't get enough of Nero Wolfe. Maybe clocks, too." Liz walked to another table. "No clocks, but my husband recently bought almost a complete set of Nero Wolfe books. I can give you a good deal." 

Tom, the man, knelt to look through a box of knickknacks and picked up a snow globe. "You like snow globes? Another dollar and it's yours." 

He looked at it like it was precious. "Don't sell this." 

"What do you mean?" "You need to take it back inside." "This is my yard sale; I can sell what I want." Liz stepped back, putting the table between them. 

Tom placed the snow globe on the table cautiously. "You have to believe me. Take it back inside." His voice was raised, eyes wide. 

Multiple Choice

What does Tom’s reaction to the snow globe suggest?

• He is trying to trick Liz into giving it to him.

• He thinks the snow globe has sentimental value.

• He believes the snow globe is broken.

• He wants to buy it later.

Liz felt anger rise. "You can't yell at me here. It's time for you to leave." After a tense moment, Tom stepped back. "I'm sorry, but please don't sell it." He shuffled back to his car, looking older. Liz waited for him to drive off, half-expecting a rude gesture. Instead, he just sat there. He opened the car door. 

"Can I tell you something?" 

"I’m done, but you can talk to the police." She pretended to dial 911. 

"Go ahead, but let me talk until they arrive." Reluctantly, Liz listened. 

Multiple Choice

What does Liz’s reaction to Tom’s warning about the snow globe suggest about her character?

• She is skeptical and does not trust Tom’s concerns.

• She is quick to believe in superstitions.

• She is easily scared and wants to call the police.

• She knows Tom and understands his reasoning.

Multiple Choice

How does Tom’s body language (“shuffled back to his car, looking older”) contribute to the mood of the passage?

• It shows he is physically weak and cannot argue anymore.

• It creates a feeling of mystery, making Liz wonder about his past.

• It suggests he is accepting defeat and carrying emotional weight.

• It shows he is planning something suspicious.

"Are you happy?" 

"Why do you ask?" 

"You seem happy. You have a nice house and kids."

 "Don't talk about my family." 

"Fine, you have a good life." 

"I'm sorry, but selling a clock didn't cause that." 

"It wasn't about the clock. It was what it represented—happy memories. I thought it would keep us together." Liz held the snow globe. 

"You think this is mine?"

 "If you look for your magic long enough, you can see it in others." Tom decided to leave. 

"Please take the snow globe inside. Keep the glue for when you need it." 

"Okay," Liz said, humoring him. She took the snow globe inside and returned to find him gone. As the day warmed, more people came to her sale. Toby returned with books and the snow globe.

 "Dad pulled some more books. I found this old globe again." 

"Do you remember when we bought it at the beach house?" 

"Yeah, freezing on the beach."

 "I think I'll keep it for old times."

 "Does that mean I can keep my Pokémon cards?"

"You had a point?" Tom took a breath. "I had a family once. My wife, Wanda, and three girls. We were happy." 

"That's great." 

"Then life changed. I sold a clock at a yard sale, and soon after, I lost my job. My family fell apart." 

"I'm sorry, but selling a clock didn't cause that." 

"It wasn't about the clock. It was what it represented—happy memories. I thought it would keep us together." Liz held the snow globe. 

"You think this is mine?"

 "If you look for your magic long enough, you can see it in others." Tom decided to leave. 

"Please take the snow globe inside. Keep the glue for when you need it." 

 "Fine," Liz agreed. "Everything must go." As Toby went back inside, a woman with a bad perm grabbed the snow globe. 

"How much?" Liz felt the familiar scent of English Leather aftershave. 

"I'm keeping this." 

"Anything else off-limits?" 

"Just this snow globe. And the Pokémon cards."

Multiple Choice

What role does the snow globe play in the story, and how does it symbolize the emotional struggle between Liz and Tom?

• It represents Liz’s need to sell everything, even items with emotional value.

• It represents Liz’s love for her family and her desire to keep objects with meaning.

• It acts as a distraction from the real conflict between Liz and Tom.

• It symbolizes Tom’s memories of his past life, showing the conflict between sentimental attachment and the practical need to move on.

Multiple Choice

Based on the events of the story, how would you characterize Liz’s attitude toward sentimental items by the end of the story?

• Liz becomes more open to holding onto meaningful items after hearing Tom’s story.

• Liz decides that she needs to clear out all sentimental items to make room for new memories.

• Liz feels guilty for wanting to sell things with emotional value and stops the yard sale.

• Liz insists that only items of practical use should be kept, disregarding any emotional significance.

Open Ended

"Liz and Tom’s conversation about happiness and memories shows that they have different views on what’s truly important in life. Do you think Tom is right that the objects we keep are connected to our happiness, or do you think Liz’s more practical view of letting go is a better way to live?