Flan Parker has always had an inquisitive mind, searching for whatâs hidden below the surface and behind the door. Her curious nature and enthusiastic probing have translated into a thriving resale business in the university housing complex where she lives with her husband and two young children. Flanâs venture helps pay the bills while her husband works on his dissertation, work that lately seems to involve more loafing on the sofa watching soap operas than reading or writing. The secret of her enterprising success: unique and everyday treasures bought from the auctions of forgotten and abandoned storage units.
When Flan secures the winning bid on a box filled only with an address and a note bearing the word âyes,â she sets out to discover the source of this mysterious message and its meaning. Armed with a well-worn copy of Walt Whitmanâs Leaves of Grass that she turns to for guidance and solace, Flan becomes determined to find the âyesâ in her own life. This search inward only strengthens her desire to unearth the hidden stories of those around herâin particular, her burqa-clad Afghan neighbor. Flanâs interest in this intriguing and secretive woman, however, comes at a formidable price for Flan and her family.
Set during the year following the September 11 attacks, Self Storage explores the raw insecurities of a changed society. With lush writing, great humor, and a genuine heart, Gayle Brandeis takes a peek into the souls of a woman and a communityâand reveals that it is not our differences that drive us apart but our willful concealment of the qualities that connect us.