Still of Some Use
By John Updike, first published in The New Yorker
As a wistful divorcee helps his ex-wife and two sons clear out their former home, discarding nostalgic belongings, he finds it difficult to let go of the past.
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In the aftermath of a divorce, an ex-husband joins his ex-wife and two sons to help clear out their former home, which will be listed for sale. While cleaning the attic, he comes across some old board games and emotionally struggles to part with them. The divorcee makes note of their nostalgic value and recalls the distant memories associated with the games. His family responds to his hesitation with outward indifference, telling him to throw them away before he gets too sad. As he chucks the games out the window to throw away, he regretfully realizes the once-memorable board games have become junk, now that all the players have been split by the divorce. When the new boyfriend of his ex-wife arrives at the emptied house, the divorcee feels out of place and decides it is time to go. Before leaving, his ex-wife urges him to speak with their younger son, who she says is struggling with discarding their old stuff. Outside the house, the divorcee joins his son and helps to fill a truck with their trash. The two speak briefly about the old board games, and the son invites his father to join him in taking their old stuff to the dump. The divorcee rejects the offer at first and echoes his ex-wife’s sentiments about urging in a new period. In response, his son admits he is saddened to throw away their old stuff, and the divorcee resolves to go with him to the dump.
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