Does THE SALT HOUSE by Lisa Duffy Infringe the Copyright of THE FISHER KING by Hayley Kelsey? Read on to Decide for Yourself (see more at https://medium.com/@hayleykelseyauthor)
History:
On May 1, 2013, Simon & Schuster president Jonathan Karp accepted by Facebook “friend” request. I submitted a query letter and synopsis of my novel via Facebook.
On September 23, 2013 (January 19, 2014 follow-up), I submitted a query letter, synopsis, and first 50 pages of my novel to agent Danielle Burby at Nelson Literary Agency, who represents alleged infringer Lisa Duffy. In January 2015, Burby joined the agency.
On September 23, 2013, I queried Dunow, Carlson & Lerner, where Burby interned. On November 15, 2013, I queried Writer’s House, where Burby interned. On December 21, 2013, I queried Faye Bender Literary Agency, where Burby interned. On September 15, 2014, I mailed a copy of my novel to author Anne Tyler c/o her agent Jesseca Salky at Hannigan, Salky, Getzler. In 2013, Burby joined the agency.
On June 13, 2017, The Salt House was published by Simon & Schuster.
Does THE SALT HOUSE Have Striking and Substantial Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
Similar setting: In FISHER, summer, small fishing village on Trappe Island, Maryland. In SALT, summer, small fishing village in Alden, Maine.
Identical main character’s name: In FISHER, Amy. In SALT, Amy.
Identical minor characters’ names: In FISHER, Gina, Petey; by Josie Gerard [second edition]. In SALT, Gina, Petey, Josie.
In FISHER, patriarch waterman King is stubborn, taciturn, stoic, tough. In SALT, patriarch lobsterman Jack is stubborn, taciturn, stoic, tough.
In FISHER, King was successful businessman, owns trap hauling ships, packing factory, export company. In SALT, Jack is successful businessman, owns trap hauling, shipping company.
In FISHER, waterman father King and Gail’s husband Sonny don’t want to work on mainland, be anything but waterman. In SALT, lobsterman father Jack and boyfriend Alex don’t want to work mainland, be anything but lobstermen.
In FISHER, Sonny resisted father’s pressure to go away to college. In SALT, Alex resists mother’s pressure to go away to college.
In FISHER, King and Sonny experience turf wars with Virginia watermen. In SALT, Jack experience territory war with Finn.
In FISHER, brothers Don and Peter leave island for mainland and return after 20 years. In SALT, high-school rival Finn leaves village for mainland and returns after 20 years.
In FISHER, teenage Gail tries to protect younger brother. In SALT, teenage Jess tries to protect younger sister.
In FISHER, young son Wes accidentally dies due to father’s and daughter’s neglect. In SALT, baby daughter Maddie accidentally dies due to mother’s and daughter’s neglect.
In FISHER, son’s death divides family. In SALT, daughter’s death nearly divides family.
In FISHER, older sister Gail blames herself for her role in younger brother’s death. In SALT, older sister Kat would blame herself for her role in younger sister’s death.
In FISHER, Gail carries a 20-year burden of unresolved guilt for abandoning her brother to death, tries to atone for it by controlling husband’s life. In SALT, Jack carries a 20-year burden of unresolved guilt for abandoning his pregnant girlfriend to death, tries to atone for it by controlling daughter’s social life.
In FISHER, teenage Gail has never been on a date. In SALT, teenage Jess has never been on a date.
In FISHER, father King tries to keep son Sonny and Gail apart. In SALT, father Jack tries to keep daughter Jess and Alex apart.
In FISHER, Gail is tall, mid-thirties. In SALT, Josie is tall, mid-thirties.
In FISHER, husband and wife Sonny and Gail move back into his childhood home. In SALT, husband and wife Jack and Hope move back into his childhood home.
In FISHER, Gail and Sonny take out second mortgage to renovate house, then abandon remodeling for a year. In SALT, Hope and Jack take out second mortgage to renovate house, then abandon remodeling for a year.
In FISHER, Gail listens to watermen ribbing each other on the two-way radio. In SALT, Jack and lobstermen rib each other on the radio.
In FISHER, brothers left fishing island for college on mainland and return. In SALT, Hope left fishing village for college on mainland and returned.
In FISHER, Gail and Sonny tried to conceive a child for two years, abandoned birth control. In SALT, Hope and Jack tried to conceive a child for two years, abandon birth control.
In FISHER, Gail becomes pregnant with illegitimate child; it’s not revealed which of two men is father. In SALT, Hannah became pregnant with illegitimate child; it’s not revealed which of two men is father.
In FISHER, Sonny gets beat up, bleeding head wound, Gail rescues him. In SALT, Jess gets in bicycling accident, gets bleeding sprained ankle wound, Alex rescues her.
In FISHER, Sonny gets beat up by three men, right eye swells shut, bears scar bisecting his right eyebrow. In SALT, Jack got beat up by three men, right eye swelled shut, bears scar slicing through his right eyebrow.
In FISHER, Peter has fistfight with Don, gives him bloody nose. Sonny has fistfight with Don, bloodies him. In SALT, Jack has fistfight with Finn, gives him bloody nose.
In FISHER, Don angrily asks Gail if baby she’s carrying is his. In SALT, Jack angrily told Hannah baby she was carrying wasn’t his.
In FISHER, King becomes ill, refuses to see doctor, is hospitalized. In SALT, Jack becomes ill, refuses to see doctor, weakens, is hospitalized.
In FISHER King, Regina spreads King’s ashes over ocean, then wind lifts and carries them aloft. In SALT, Hope spreads Maddie’s ashes over ocean, then wind lifts and carries them aloft.
In FISHER, watermen start workday at 3:00AM, are prohibited by law from working on Sundays, emptying another’s traps. In SALT, lobstermen start workday 4:00AM, are prohibited by law from working on Sundays, emptying another’s traps.
The denouements are identical: In FISHER, Gail finally comes to terms with her guilt and grief, forgives herself, and is able to move on. Sonny finally gains maturity and independence. IN SALT, Jack and Hope each finally come to terms with their guilt and grief, forgive themselves, are able to move on. Jack gains maturity and independence.
The themes are identical: In FISHER, importance of: physical work to identity and sense of purpose; place, specifically island/harbor, to work, identity, community; community to sense of belonging, identity, loyalty; gaining independence to achieving adult maturity; inheriting and passing on: bay, vanishing way of life, family history, genes, a future. Unresolved guilt and grief over loved one’s death, attempt to atone for it, forgive self. Emphasis on lies, shame, and grief. In SALT, importance of: physical work to identity and sense of purpose; place, specifically island/harbor, to work, identity, community; community to sense of belonging, identity, loyalty; gaining independence to achieving adult maturity; inheriting and passing on: house, vanishing way of life, family history, genes, a future. Unresolved guilt and grief over loved one’s death, attempt to atone for it, forgive self. Emphasis on lying and shame. In The Fisher King emphasis on lies, guilt, shame, and grief.
Does THE SALT HOUSE Have Plot and Theme Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
There are the eight main elements that comprise the “heart” on which FISHER turns, and SALT takes five of them:
1. Business—Family patriarch is successful lobsterman.
2. Work—The importance of meaningful physical labor to identity & sense of purpose.
3. Setting—The importance of place, specifically fishing village, to work, identity, community.
4. Community—The importance of community to sense of loyalty, belonging, identity.
5. Inheritance—The importance of inheriting and passing on: inherited house, vanishing way of life, family history, a future.
Does THE SALT HOUSE Have Line-by-Line Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
7—king of the seas IDENTICAL TO 10-throughout—King
9—Dad was a lobsterman...we...ate like queens. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 76—”You’re watermen?” 119—Regina [means queen]
9—The kitchen and my bedroom shared a wall...In our small house there wasn’t much I couldn’t hear. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 137—The only thing separating our bedroom from my in-laws’ was a narrow bathroom whose thin walls imposed a forced intimacy on our family relations.
11—the way his face went hard. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 24—his face hardened. 402—his face hardened.
11—I lied 34—Even as the words left my mouth, I heard the lie in them 39—I lied to you 41—lying straight to her face 51—you lie 55—I lied to Kat 59—remembering the lie I’d told 66—I lied 71—”...that was a lie?” “It was a lie.” 93-96—”But you’ve never asked me to lie for you.” “It’s not lying” 101—”he was lying?” 112—as though I’d just told an elaborate lie 125—I lied. Jess had looked at me wide-eyed, startled at my overly elaborate lie, and I turned away, ashamed...”You said she would blame herself—” “She would have blamed herself” 126—”I guess that makes us both liars.” “You’re not a liar” 148—”You’re such a liar.” “That I’m a liar?” “So you are a liar.” “So that makes you a liar” 149—She nodded, but...she was lying 154—I lied...”And then I’m not a liar” 192—”I’m sorry.”...”No. I mean I’m sorry about everything. Sorry for lying about Alex 193—”But at least I didn’t lie.” “Lie? What did I lie about?” “About Amy,” I snapped before I could stop myself 194—”we didn’t want to start lyng to each other...I was sort of lying to myself 204—maybe even another lie 206—I could lie IDENTICAL TO 20—cover my lie 63—a white lie 65—a white lie 109—I’d been caught in a lie 110—accept my lie 127—I lied 131—It wasn’t in him to lie 131—prompted my lie 132—corroborate my lie 133—caught in my own lie 134—me—for lying 140—for my lying 150—an out-and-out lie 180—Sonny was a hopeless liar 238—to lie to him, to enter into a lie with him 239—need to latch onto this lie 307—I lied 350—I lied 396—I, who’d told one lie after another 404—I lied. 330—The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them 262—His voice trembled...with shame. 19—A familiar mixture of shame 21—“For shame,” 58—my impulse shamed me. 71—felt a pinch of shame. 132—Shame singed me. 306—My vanity had shamed me 343—Shame kindled in me. 362—This was uttered without a trace of shame. 383—confessing filled me with, not shame exactly. 413—shame engulfed me. 239—I saw that I was to blame. 282—I too, was partly to blame for this state of affairs 422—“I’m sorry, Mom,” I said, although whether I was apologizing for my outburst or her misspent life, I couldn’t say. Maybe both 358—I snapped 363—something in me snapped...Before I could stop myself 124—much less admit to myself.
11—I heard the clock in the kitchen ticking away the time. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 190—I became aware of the ticking of the grandfather clock. 304—The clock ominously ticked off the minutes 365—Gradually, they were replaced by the steady, rhythmic tick-tock of the clock.
12—slammed the bottle down so hard, the table shook. The noise made Mom jump. NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 234—slammed the clock down on the table with a bang. I jumped. 63—slamming it behind him. I jumped.
12—”Stop what? Trying to make love to my wife, or trying to figure out why she hates it when I touch her?” SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 56—I leaned over to kiss him. He turned away and, to cover for his avoidance, 59—he was avoiding me, rejecting me. 60—Our sexual problems had begun about a year earlier.
19—Parent Talk magazine. NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 168—Parenting magazines.
19—I don’t remember the ambulance ride or the room where we waited or the hospital...Those first months after she died were a blur. NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 122—I don’t remember riding in the car or eating or sleeping or moving about...My brother’s funeral is a blank space in my memory...What followed remains a blur in my memory. 416—When I look back on those first eight weeks it’s all a blur.
20—throughout Josie IDENTICAL TO 1—By Josie Gerard [second edition]
20—the Salt House, a dilapidated farmhouse across town passed down to us from Jack’s grandfather. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 33—the house had fallen into disrepair. 418—My grandfather had left the farm to her alone.
22—We were supposed to be living in the Salt House now. The plan had been to...move across town once renovations were complete...There wasn’t an inch of the house that didn’t remind me of her...The bathroom upstairs where I’d peed on a stick and watched the plus sign appear...But our savings were gone. The money we’d taken out to renovate the Salt House was gone—and we were paying two mortgages now. I’d mentioned putting the Salt House on the market months ago. Letting someone else finish the renovation...But we were out of time, and money. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 16—our house and were remodeling it. 7—We were desperately trying to finish the remodeling job we’d abandoned a year earier for lack of funds. 9—All remodleding came to a standstill. 8—Spending time and money fixing up [house]. 8—A wave of nostalgia engulfed me. 9—we took out a second mortgage. 16—we were poor.
Lisa Duffy Reviews
Does THE SALT HOUSE by Lisa Duffy Infringe the Copyright of THE FISHER KING by Hayley Kelsey? Read on to Decide for Yourself (see more at https://medium.com/@hayleykelseyauthor)
History:
On May 1, 2013, Simon & Schuster president Jonathan Karp accepted by Facebook “friend” request. I submitted a query letter and synopsis of my novel via Facebook.
On September 23, 2013 (January 19, 2014 follow-up), I submitted a query letter, synopsis, and first 50 pages of my novel to agent Danielle Burby at Nelson Literary Agency, who represents alleged infringer Lisa Duffy. In January 2015, Burby joined the agency.
On September 23, 2013, I queried Dunow, Carlson & Lerner, where Burby interned. On November 15, 2013, I queried Writer’s House, where Burby interned. On December 21, 2013, I queried Faye Bender Literary Agency, where Burby interned. On September 15, 2014, I mailed a copy of my novel to author Anne Tyler c/o her agent Jesseca Salky at Hannigan, Salky, Getzler. In 2013, Burby joined the agency.
On June 13, 2017, The Salt House was published by Simon & Schuster.
Does THE SALT HOUSE Have Striking and Substantial Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
Similar setting: In FISHER, summer, small fishing village on Trappe Island, Maryland. In SALT, summer, small fishing village in Alden, Maine.
Identical main character’s name: In FISHER, Amy. In SALT, Amy.
Identical minor characters’ names: In FISHER, Gina, Petey; by Josie Gerard [second edition]. In SALT, Gina, Petey, Josie.
In FISHER, patriarch waterman King is stubborn, taciturn, stoic, tough. In SALT, patriarch lobsterman Jack is stubborn, taciturn, stoic, tough.
In FISHER, King was successful businessman, owns trap hauling ships, packing factory, export company. In SALT, Jack is successful businessman, owns trap hauling, shipping company.
In FISHER, waterman father King and Gail’s husband Sonny don’t want to work on mainland, be anything but waterman. In SALT, lobsterman father Jack and boyfriend Alex don’t want to work mainland, be anything but lobstermen.
In FISHER, Sonny resisted father’s pressure to go away to college. In SALT, Alex resists mother’s pressure to go away to college.
In FISHER, King and Sonny experience turf wars with Virginia watermen. In SALT, Jack experience territory war with Finn.
In FISHER, brothers Don and Peter leave island for mainland and return after 20 years. In SALT, high-school rival Finn leaves village for mainland and returns after 20 years.
In FISHER, teenage Gail tries to protect younger brother. In SALT, teenage Jess tries to protect younger sister.
In FISHER, young son Wes accidentally dies due to father’s and daughter’s neglect. In SALT, baby daughter Maddie accidentally dies due to mother’s and daughter’s neglect.
In FISHER, son’s death divides family. In SALT, daughter’s death nearly divides family.
In FISHER, older sister Gail blames herself for her role in younger brother’s death. In SALT, older sister Kat would blame herself for her role in younger sister’s death.
In FISHER, Gail carries a 20-year burden of unresolved guilt for abandoning her brother to death, tries to atone for it by controlling husband’s life. In SALT, Jack carries a 20-year burden of unresolved guilt for abandoning his pregnant girlfriend to death, tries to atone for it by controlling daughter’s social life.
In FISHER, teenage Gail has never been on a date. In SALT, teenage Jess has never been on a date.
In FISHER, father King tries to keep son Sonny and Gail apart. In SALT, father Jack tries to keep daughter Jess and Alex apart.
In FISHER, Gail is tall, mid-thirties. In SALT, Josie is tall, mid-thirties.
In FISHER, husband and wife Sonny and Gail move back into his childhood home. In SALT, husband and wife Jack and Hope move back into his childhood home.
In FISHER, Gail and Sonny take out second mortgage to renovate house, then abandon remodeling for a year. In SALT, Hope and Jack take out second mortgage to renovate house, then abandon remodeling for a year.
In FISHER, Gail listens to watermen ribbing each other on the two-way radio. In SALT, Jack and lobstermen rib each other on the radio.
In FISHER, brothers left fishing island for college on mainland and return. In SALT, Hope left fishing village for college on mainland and returned.
In FISHER, Gail and Sonny tried to conceive a child for two years, abandoned birth control. In SALT, Hope and Jack tried to conceive a child for two years, abandon birth control.
In FISHER, Gail becomes pregnant with illegitimate child; it’s not revealed which of two men is father. In SALT, Hannah became pregnant with illegitimate child; it’s not revealed which of two men is father.
In FISHER, Sonny gets beat up, bleeding head wound, Gail rescues him. In SALT, Jess gets in bicycling accident, gets bleeding sprained ankle wound, Alex rescues her.
In FISHER, Sonny gets beat up by three men, right eye swells shut, bears scar bisecting his right eyebrow. In SALT, Jack got beat up by three men, right eye swelled shut, bears scar slicing through his right eyebrow.
In FISHER, Peter has fistfight with Don, gives him bloody nose. Sonny has fistfight with Don, bloodies him. In SALT, Jack has fistfight with Finn, gives him bloody nose.
In FISHER, Don angrily asks Gail if baby she’s carrying is his. In SALT, Jack angrily told Hannah baby she was carrying wasn’t his.
In FISHER, King becomes ill, refuses to see doctor, is hospitalized. In SALT, Jack becomes ill, refuses to see doctor, weakens, is hospitalized.
In FISHER King, Regina spreads King’s ashes over ocean, then wind lifts and carries them aloft. In SALT, Hope spreads Maddie’s ashes over ocean, then wind lifts and carries them aloft.
In FISHER, watermen start workday at 3:00AM, are prohibited by law from working on Sundays, emptying another’s traps. In SALT, lobstermen start workday 4:00AM, are prohibited by law from working on Sundays, emptying another’s traps.
The denouements are identical: In FISHER, Gail finally comes to terms with her guilt and grief, forgives herself, and is able to move on. Sonny finally gains maturity and independence. IN SALT, Jack and Hope each finally come to terms with their guilt and grief, forgive themselves, are able to move on. Jack gains maturity and independence.
The themes are identical: In FISHER, importance of: physical work to identity and sense of purpose; place, specifically island/harbor, to work, identity, community; community to sense of belonging, identity, loyalty; gaining independence to achieving adult maturity; inheriting and passing on: bay, vanishing way of life, family history, genes, a future. Unresolved guilt and grief over loved one’s death, attempt to atone for it, forgive self. Emphasis on lies, shame, and grief. In SALT, importance of: physical work to identity and sense of purpose; place, specifically island/harbor, to work, identity, community; community to sense of belonging, identity, loyalty; gaining independence to achieving adult maturity; inheriting and passing on: house, vanishing way of life, family history, genes, a future. Unresolved guilt and grief over loved one’s death, attempt to atone for it, forgive self. Emphasis on lying and shame. In The Fisher King emphasis on lies, guilt, shame, and grief.
Does THE SALT HOUSE Have Plot and Theme Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
There are the eight main elements that comprise the “heart” on which FISHER turns, and SALT takes five of them:
1. Business—Family patriarch is successful lobsterman.
2. Work—The importance of meaningful physical labor to identity & sense of purpose.
3. Setting—The importance of place, specifically fishing village, to work, identity, community.
4. Community—The importance of community to sense of loyalty, belonging, identity.
5. Inheritance—The importance of inheriting and passing on: inherited house, vanishing way of life, family history, a future.
Does THE SALT HOUSE Have Line-by-Line Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
7—king of the seas IDENTICAL TO 10-throughout—King
9—Dad was a lobsterman...we...ate like queens. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 76—”You’re watermen?” 119—Regina [means queen]
9—The kitchen and my bedroom shared a wall...In our small house there wasn’t much I couldn’t hear. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 137—The only thing separating our bedroom from my in-laws’ was a narrow bathroom whose thin walls imposed a forced intimacy on our family relations.
11—the way his face went hard. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 24—his face hardened. 402—his face hardened.
11—I lied 34—Even as the words left my mouth, I heard the lie in them 39—I lied to you 41—lying straight to her face 51—you lie 55—I lied to Kat 59—remembering the lie I’d told 66—I lied 71—”...that was a lie?” “It was a lie.” 93-96—”But you’ve never asked me to lie for you.” “It’s not lying” 101—”he was lying?” 112—as though I’d just told an elaborate lie 125—I lied. Jess had looked at me wide-eyed, startled at my overly elaborate lie, and I turned away, ashamed...”You said she would blame herself—” “She would have blamed herself” 126—”I guess that makes us both liars.” “You’re not a liar” 148—”You’re such a liar.” “That I’m a liar?” “So you are a liar.” “So that makes you a liar” 149—She nodded, but...she was lying 154—I lied...”And then I’m not a liar” 192—”I’m sorry.”...”No. I mean I’m sorry about everything. Sorry for lying about Alex 193—”But at least I didn’t lie.” “Lie? What did I lie about?” “About Amy,” I snapped before I could stop myself 194—”we didn’t want to start lyng to each other...I was sort of lying to myself 204—maybe even another lie 206—I could lie IDENTICAL TO 20—cover my lie 63—a white lie 65—a white lie 109—I’d been caught in a lie 110—accept my lie 127—I lied 131—It wasn’t in him to lie 131—prompted my lie 132—corroborate my lie 133—caught in my own lie 134—me—for lying 140—for my lying 150—an out-and-out lie 180—Sonny was a hopeless liar 238—to lie to him, to enter into a lie with him 239—need to latch onto this lie 307—I lied 350—I lied 396—I, who’d told one lie after another 404—I lied. 330—The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them 262—His voice trembled...with shame. 19—A familiar mixture of shame 21—“For shame,” 58—my impulse shamed me. 71—felt a pinch of shame. 132—Shame singed me. 306—My vanity had shamed me 343—Shame kindled in me. 362—This was uttered without a trace of shame. 383—confessing filled me with, not shame exactly. 413—shame engulfed me. 239—I saw that I was to blame. 282—I too, was partly to blame for this state of affairs 422—“I’m sorry, Mom,” I said, although whether I was apologizing for my outburst or her misspent life, I couldn’t say. Maybe both 358—I snapped 363—something in me snapped...Before I could stop myself 124—much less admit to myself.
11—I heard the clock in the kitchen ticking away the time. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 190—I became aware of the ticking of the grandfather clock. 304—The clock ominously ticked off the minutes 365—Gradually, they were replaced by the steady, rhythmic tick-tock of the clock.
12—slammed the bottle down so hard, the table shook. The noise made Mom jump. NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 234—slammed the clock down on the table with a bang. I jumped. 63—slamming it behind him. I jumped.
12—”Stop what? Trying to make love to my wife, or trying to figure out why she hates it when I touch her?” SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 56—I leaned over to kiss him. He turned away and, to cover for his avoidance, 59—he was avoiding me, rejecting me. 60—Our sexual problems had begun about a year earlier.
19—Parent Talk magazine. NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 168—Parenting magazines.
19—I don’t remember the ambulance ride or the room where we waited or the hospital...Those first months after she died were a blur. NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 122—I don’t remember riding in the car or eating or sleeping or moving about...My brother’s funeral is a blank space in my memory...What followed remains a blur in my memory. 416—When I look back on those first eight weeks it’s all a blur.
20—throughout Josie IDENTICAL TO 1—By Josie Gerard [second edition]
20—the Salt House, a dilapidated farmhouse across town passed down to us from Jack’s grandfather. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 33—the house had fallen into disrepair. 418—My grandfather had left the farm to her alone.
22—We were supposed to be living in the Salt House now. The plan had been to...move across town once renovations were complete...There wasn’t an inch of the house that didn’t remind me of her...The bathroom upstairs where I’d peed on a stick and watched the plus sign appear...But our savings were gone. The money we’d taken out to renovate the Salt House was gone—and we were paying two mortgages now. I’d mentioned putting the Salt House on the market months ago. Letting someone else finish the renovation...But we were out of time, and money. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 16—our house and were remodeling it. 7—We were desperately trying to finish the remodeling job we’d abandoned a year earier for lack of funds. 9—All remodleding came to a standstill. 8—Spending time and money fixing up [house]. 8—A wave of nostalgia engulfed me. 9—we took out a second mortgage. 16—we were poor.