From the
street, it looks like an ordinary, 40 year old mobile home with a house roof, a
large porch, and a rock foundation. The uninformed observer would not suspect
the details that make this location a treasure trove of great stories.
Just behind the double gate that leads to the back yard is
a very small fence that is completely useless, but at the same time legendary.
Once a connector between the old gate and the side of the house, it stands four
feet tall and less than two feet wide, with a metal post firmly set in concrete
on each side. A friend who is a consummate story-teller remembers this piece of
chain link each time he sees any member of our family. What sort of dog, he wonders, would be small
enough to stand behind the fence, and well trained enough to stay there,
without any means of containment. More entertaining than any story this likable
guy could tell is the enjoyment he gets out of that silly fence.
In
the front yard a very large flower bed constructed from railroad ties holds
white rock, a flagpole, and a soda parlor style chair made of painted iron
reinforcement bar. Decorated with artificial flowers at the beginning of each
season, the whole thing conceals a massive stump that marks the spot where a
huge pine tree once stood. The flag flies proudly, and along with a yellow
ribbon tied to a nearby tree, it portrays the love of country that lived in the
heart of the latest occupant of the house. At various times over the years,
this display was accompanied by large signs, stating displeasure over the way
the government was handling current affairs. On the porch, a lighted cross burned
twenty-four seven, leaving no doubt about the priorities of the family.
Inside the fence
that goes all the way around the yard, canines of all shapes and sizes have
chased squirrels and provided a noisy welcome to all who ventured in. A very
fertile garden spot in the back corner is now their final resting place.
Three sheds occupy the lot. One was a fully equipped
workshop, where all manner of crafts, furniture, scout projects and science
fair entries were constructed. A wood burning stove, numerous bright lights,
and a front and back door that enabled a wonderful breeze made this a comfortable
hangout for residents of the male
persuasion. When something in the house needed fixing, whatever was required
could be easily located here. A second shed made of fiberglass panels housed
the family’s clothes dryer. Located here as a safety consideration, it’s
distance from the washing machine in the kitchen made for some exciting back
and forths on bad weather days. The third building is larger and sturdier than
many homes, and housed shelves full of seasonal items, from Christmas
decorations to ice chests and camp stoves.
Inside, the memories speak with a clearer voice. The layout
has always seemed a little more spacious than a single-wide mobile home, and
the addition of a family room with a rock hearth along one side makes it truly
unique and welcoming. The wide opening into the room was graced with a ramp at
one time, when the owner used a motorized scooter to travel around. More than
just a convenience, this became a built-in amusement park ride for
great-grandchildren. That same room became an oversized bedroom when the family
living there outgrew the designated spaces on each end of the house. Heated for
most of the years with a wood-burning stove, many warm and happy voices still
echo from the wood paneled walls.
Everywhere you look are improvements added by different
members of the family. The son-in-law who had a day job in a synthetic marble
plant practiced his trade in the kitchen and both bathrooms over the years. One
daughter added phone jacks, and some rowdy grandsons once left a dent in the
bedroom door.
The dining area window has had a bird feeder within view,
and it provides a perfect point to contemplate that spacious yard, and the
buffer of trees behind it. Somewhere beyond the back fence are more houses, but
they are far enough away that you get a good sense of country living with your
bacon and eggs each day. Over the kitchen sink, another window has view of a
flower box that has been a favorite nesting place for feathered friends. Better
than any televised nature program, anyone who remained quiet long enough could
witness tiny lives beginning in an up close and personal fashion.
At some point in the not so distant future, this property
will change hands. Children who grew up
here have families of their own. The handy men that repaired it have their own
homes to maintain. Hopefully, another family will move in and make new
memories. For one patched together bunch of kids, grands and great grands, this
place has served its purpose many times over, and will live in our hearts
forever.
