Chapter 9 Summary

Main Novel

The elderly Iris is losing the battle all older people fight: to maintain independence at home. Iris's mind is still sharp but her body is letting her down. She cannot even do her own laundry in the basement without fearing she will fall and be hurt.

Elderly Iris is also fighting off the ministrations of Myra who dotes on her as though she inherited her from her mother, Reenie. Myra means well but smothers Iris all the same. Her latest idea is to hire someone to clean Iris's house and do laundry for her. However, Iris does not want a stranger touching her underwear.

It is the spring of 1936; the Civil War had begun in Spain, King Edward had abdicated the throne for the Duchess of Windsor, and Laura had headed off to school. There were new staff members — hired...