A compelling story of a strange disorder which would make an interesting item in a feature programme. I would have liked a bit more background of how this compulsive obsessive disorder branched out into hoarding. And if I was being real picky, I would say that if the producer did record 35 hours of sound with Melodie in her house, perhaps the material that stayed in the piece could have been a bit stronger sometimes (ie the bit about her falling off the bed as a child came out ? why use Melodies?s kind of unclear explanation instead of just adding a sentence to that narrated bit of the story?).
Also I was dying for a better visual picture of Melodie ? her house makes her sound like a bag lady but her chirpy voice and manner bely any sign of the alcoholism, uncleanliness or obvious mental disorders we see in those wretched old women wheeling stuffed dirty plastic bags on shopping trolleys on the street.
And there?s a part of me that was tempted to say ?oh get over it? in relation to this woman?s obsessive need to hoard ? too easy to brush off as a ?western? or I dare say American obsession with consumerist attachments. But I guess that?s exactly what society has been doing to Melodie all her life and she?s spent years trying to explain to them that she doesn?t choose to be this way. So the listener shares a much milder form of the frustration that Melodies landlords, helpers and social workers have borne over the years of trying to figure out a solution that will benefit them all.