thirty years in this old house
my memories
in every nook and cranny
the old dishwasher went
and so did harry's soul
my old deceased friend
he installed it for me
for free
i sent him a check for $100
anyway...
he was the best man
at my wedding
he died 15 years ago
the dishwasher was 20 years old
rusted, but still doing its job
now it is gone
my last memory of harry
next went the refrigerator
then the range
memories of meals cooked
good food and cold beer
we found old cloth mice
behind and underneath the appliances
reminders of my two cats
feral sisters...black and white
tuxedo cats with wonderful natures
now they are dead too
my little kitties
innocent souls
off to heaven
the old cabinets were ripped out
just like my heart
how much stuff did i store in there?
how many reminders and inspirational words?
how many goodies and bottles of whiskey?
so many memories out the door
in the blink of the eye
all into the dumpster
they threw out the kitchen table
i set a pan of warm water on it
to give my new baby girl, her first bath
gone are carpets, floors that i installed,
curio cabinets i made with my calloused hands
gone is the platform bed I made for my kid
i remember reading her stories there
and tucking her in at night
she is gone now too
married to a fine young man
gone is aunt harriet's microwave oven
it refused to die, just like aunt harriet!
she smoked for 60 years
and lived well into her late 80's
out with the old
in with the new
in four weeks time
everything will be new
expensive
expansive
pristine
cold like a hospital
i will have the home of my dreams
operating room clean
i will have to make new memories
and remodel my heart
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Nice sentiment....remember the "All in the Family" episode where by mistake Edith gave Archie's chair to an antique dealer who then put it on display as an American Gothic and priced it to the moon? When Archie finally found him, the dealer offered Archie $200, then $350, then $500....when Archie said "Now you got a deal!" Then with much distraught, Archie said he couldn't sell it. Too many memories in that chair..."I can't sell the chair where I held my little girl and fed her bottles of milk in the middle of the night...the chair I was sitting in when Neil Armstrong placed his foot on the moon...the chair he was sitting in when watching the Kennedy funeral...the chair he was sitting in when playing with his Grandson! "No, I'm sorry Mr. Antique dealer...I can't sell you that chair!"
ReplyDeleteI'm really liking Aunt Harriet! You can't throw away that microwave!!!!!!!! I have a feeling making new memories is going to be pretty easy for you & lovely Debbie! xxoo
ReplyDeleteYeah Mike and Debbie...all is bittersweet...Once the new house is in order, new memories will be made, and the beat goes on...and even the new stuff will get old, and we evolve, and the clock ticks, and the world spins...and new babies are born, and people die...and what is important is love, while we are here!...I love you both!...Rich
ReplyDelete"and what is important is love, while we are here!...I love you both!...Rich " that too is so damn beautiful and real, thank you for sharing
ReplyDelete