When I was young, I spent a lot of time at my Grandparent’s house. I might have mentioned that a time or two. Usually I was hanging out wherever they were, but not always. Once I got to be old enough, they gave me free reign in the house, and I got to explore this and that. I never plundered in their room of course, but I plundered everywhere else.
I used to stay in the room that had been my mother’s. There was a built in shelf behind the door of that room, and Grandmother let me keep some of my own books there, and I was allowed to read anything else I found in the house. Oh, and the dresser always had neat stuff in it, too. Nothing too outrageous, just normal stuff. The highboy in that room held Grandmother’s fabrics and sewing supplies, and that was always good for a couple hours entertainment.
The other room in the house used to be my uncle’s and that room was the most fascinating room ever. There was a vanity dresser in there that just held fascinating things, manly things, not the feminine things I was used to. The highboy in that room, though is what I remember the most. you’ll notice I’ve said “stuff, things” etc, and it’s because I don’t remember exactly what was in those other drawers. But the highboy in Uncle’s room, that’s different.
In that highboy were pictures. Lovely black and white and sepia toned photographs of people I never knew. When Grandmother had time, she would tell me who so and so was in those pictures. Another drawer held the things that Granddad brought back from the war. It was in that drawer that I first found a Catholic Bible. It was palm sized, and navy blue. It’s different from the version other Christians use, you know. I did not know that at the time, so I took it out and asked Grandmother what it was, and she told me. And then, she made sure that the Bible was placed reverently back in the drawer. I don’t think she ever read from that Bible, but it was important to her that it be treated with respect.
I miss the sound of my Grandmother’s voice. I just realized how very much I miss that sound.