
The grownups visited in the basement
That basement that George was so proud of
He paneled it in that 1960’s style
Cheap, but effective, like a boys clubhouse
–
Leonia and George hosted parties and dinners down there
She cooked and he tended behind the bar he built
Gossip and politics;
One cousin was lazy
Another cousin wore her skirts too short
Nixon was a communist
–
My crime was general mischief
I’d retreat to the attic
Doing what I enjoyed most
Being alone in a house full of people
Alone but not alone…I’ve always liked that feeling
–
The presence of people in the house
The smell of alcohol and cigarettes
The fading smell of Turkey cooking
The fading smell of Baking pies
–
Those smells bring all that back
Back to me alone in the attic
Watching “Holiday Inn” and dreaming my dream world
A snow bound house in the country
Barely 13, I wanted to kiss Virginia Dale
–
I’d raid the ice box in a kitchen that wasn’t really mine
Borrowed like so many other kitchens
Welcome but still outside
But the memory is all mine
Bing, Fred, and Virginia
Ginger ale and turkey sandwiches
–
Slowly, imperceptibly weaves the fabric
The fabric of our being
One stitch at a time
© Glenn R Keller 2023, All Rights Reserved
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