"The baseboards can always be painted over."The sentence played over and over again in Margaret's head. The real estate agent had muttered it innocently under her breath, but it stuck with her, echoing continously in Margaret's ears. Now this sunny September afternoon seemed sticky and cloying, like end-of-season grapes that leave a lingering taste of sugar on your finger tips and tongue. Why did she have to comment on the baseboards? Her car passed through the gate. Margaret sat down on the top step under the porch awning and went over the afternoon in her head: the real estate agent had ad