| General Fiction posted November 16, 2015 |
  |
The fallen barn behind the blue house.
The Spirits Within Chapter IV
by papa55mike
A house is more than nails, wood and roofing. It's a container of life, good or bad. I believe that life events can become a part of the structure and remain there for many years.
1976
This wasn't supposed to happen. The shoe industry completely collapsed when all the major shoe manufacturers began to send their work to China and Mexico for the cheaper labor. A shut down of all the shoe factories in this area began immediately. In some of the smaller towns, the shoe factories were the major employer. Losing seventy percent of the jobs in a small town, devastated the local businesses. Many of towns went from twenty-five stores on Main street to five in less than a year. I worked in Humboldt, which had nine shoe factories close within six months.
Our family was dealt a double blow. My factory closed the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. The office my wife worked at closed on December twenty-first, three days ago. This is going to be one slim Christmas.
My wife, Cheryl, is amazing. She's planned our Christmas dinner down to the last piece of chocolate cake. She told me, "There ain't going to be any leftovers but we'll all be full. What else do you want on Christmas day? All I need is my family together celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ." I just shake my head and smile at her. What else can you say.
The kids are finally asleep. Cheryl is lying in bed reading and I'm sipping an Egg Nog with a shot of Jack Daniels in it. I'm trying to keep a good attitude, but it's hard. Cheryl was hoping to get a job at a sewing factory on Garmany Street. We heard yesterday that it might close.
I know that Christmas is a hopeful time of year, but there's not a lot of hope in Milan on this Christmas Eve.
I feel a hand rub my shoulder, "Why don't you come to bed, Tony? Worrying about it ain't going to help a thing. We need to have faith in God and He'll work it out for us."
"I'll be there in a minute." I can't look at her right now.
She leans down and kisses my cheek, "I love you, sweetie." I hear her footsteps head down the hall.
The flashing lights on the tree are creating interesting shapes on the wall. Today, I showed the boys how to look up inside the tree. They were under there for an hour watching the colors and shapes that seem to dance in the reflections on the ornaments. It gave them a new view of the Christmas tree.
At least we were able to buy Sammy and Billy Joe a few presents to put under the tree. We couldn't spend much but I think both of them will love the Hot Wheels track we bought them. They already have a hundred cars and it will keep them out of trouble. They're really good boys, they just get bored too fast. Of course, Sammy, being the older brother loves to pick on the younger, Billy Joe, when he gets bored. It will be a joyous day in this house when school starts again.
Cheryl is right, I need to be thankful for what we've got and have faith. God will work it out. One day she came to me and said, "God told me to save all the money we can." I looked at her like she was crazy, but she was right. Management told us a month later that they were closing my factory in a few months. I guess she was hearing from God. No man could ask for a better wife. I finish my drink and head to bed. The boys will have us up early in morning.
"Dad, Dad wake up!" Sammy is shaking me.
I glance at the clock and it's five-thirty. "We'll open presents in a minute, son."
"No, Dad, it's not that. I smell smoke in the house!" Sammy is in a panic.
My eyes pop open then. "Smoke!"
Cheryl jumps up, "What did you say, son?"
"Mom, I smell smoke. The fireman at school said we have to get out of the house!"
"Go get your brother up, now." Cheryl pushes him out the door.
I start searching the house for a fire and can't find a thing burning, but I smell it. That's when I look out the window and see smoke pouring out of the garage out back. "Holy crap, the garage is on fire. Call the fire department, honey. I'll see if I can get the car out of the garage." Grabbing the keys I run out the door.
Thick black smoke billows out of every crack it can find. I can't open the garage door. So, I put the key in the side door and kick it open. It gives the fire exactly what it wants, oxygen. Flames shoot out the door and throws me backwards. I land on my back with my hair and clothes on fire.
Cheryl screams, "No!" She rips off her robe then throws it on top of me and suffocates the fire. "Are you burned bad, honey?"
"I don't think so." I'm searching my body for any pain and very thankful for not finding any. Touching the top of my head, I find got a haircut I didn't need. "Grab the hose. We have to keep it off the roof or the house will catch." Cheryl and I run to the side of the house. I grab the hose and Cheryl turns it on. I start spraying the Oak tree in between the garage and house.
The boys are standing there in a daze with their mouths wide open. Watching it all happen.
Our neighbor, Jimmy, comes running to help. He has a garden at the side of his house. His garden hose is close by. Jimmy jerks up his hose then twists on the faucet and joins the fight to save our house. He screams, "Tony, let's hit the front of the garage and keep it off the tree!"
Both hoses seem to take hold and the smoke boils in the air. All of us breath a sigh of relief when we hear sirens coming down the road. The fire truck pulls into our driveway. It's the pumper truck from the Medina fire department. The firemen jerk the hoses off the truck and join the fight.
Thirty minutes later the fire is just a few smoldering embers. The firemen are packing up. I walk over and thank them for saving our house. Smiling, I wish them Merry Christmas. They're all grinning at me strangely while driving away.
Jimmy offers to share breakfast with us. We thank him for everthing he did, but decline. He laughs under his breath while walking away. All of us stumble into the house, stunned. I can't believe we just lost our car and garage on Christmas day.
I get some clothes and go take a shower trying not to think about it. When I get out of the shower the room is full of steam, I can't see a thing. After getting dressed I head back to the kitchen to get some coffee.
Cheryl and the boys are standing there staring at me like I'm an alien. "What are you guys staring at?" Sammy and Billy Joe start to laugh.
"Honey, did you look in the mirror?" Cheryl's eyes have teared up and a huge smile appears on her face.
"No, it was steamed up. Why?" I have a feeling, I really don't want to know. Running back to the bathroom, I wipe the mirror clean. There's no hair on the top of my head, I'm completely bald. Plenty on both sides and the back. I look like a hairy eraser. I just comb the sides and back up, to fluff it out. We're going to have a good Christmas. No matter what's happened. Proudly, I head back to the kitchen to get some more coffee.
Cheryl and the boys are huddled together in the kitchen about to explode. I pour me a cup then turn around and say, "What, you don't like my new haircut?"
The three of them fall on the floor, laughing hysterically.
I just rub my head and smile. "What a Christmas!"
A house is more than nails, wood and roofing. It's a container of life, good or bad. I believe that life events can become a part of the structure and remain there for many years.
1976
This wasn't supposed to happen. The shoe industry completely collapsed when all the major shoe manufacturers began to send their work to China and Mexico for the cheaper labor. A shut down of all the shoe factories in this area began immediately. In some of the smaller towns, the shoe factories were the major employer. Losing seventy percent of the jobs in a small town, devastated the local businesses. Many of towns went from twenty-five stores on Main street to five in less than a year. I worked in Humboldt, which had nine shoe factories close within six months.
Our family was dealt a double blow. My factory closed the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. The office my wife worked at closed on December twenty-first, three days ago. This is going to be one slim Christmas.
My wife, Cheryl, is amazing. She's planned our Christmas dinner down to the last piece of chocolate cake. She told me, "There ain't going to be any leftovers but we'll all be full. What else do you want on Christmas day? All I need is my family together celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ." I just shake my head and smile at her. What else can you say.
The kids are finally asleep. Cheryl is lying in bed reading and I'm sipping an Egg Nog with a shot of Jack Daniels in it. I'm trying to keep a good attitude, but it's hard. Cheryl was hoping to get a job at a sewing factory on Garmany Street. We heard yesterday that it might close.
I know that Christmas is a hopeful time of year, but there's not a lot of hope in Milan on this Christmas Eve.
I feel a hand rub my shoulder, "Why don't you come to bed, Tony? Worrying about it ain't going to help a thing. We need to have faith in God and He'll work it out for us."
"I'll be there in a minute." I can't look at her right now.
She leans down and kisses my cheek, "I love you, sweetie." I hear her footsteps head down the hall.
The flashing lights on the tree are creating interesting shapes on the wall. Today, I showed the boys how to look up inside the tree. They were under there for an hour watching the colors and shapes that seem to dance in the reflections on the ornaments. It gave them a new view of the Christmas tree.
At least we were able to buy Sammy and Billy Joe a few presents to put under the tree. We couldn't spend much but I think both of them will love the Hot Wheels track we bought them. They already have a hundred cars and it will keep them out of trouble. They're really good boys, they just get bored too fast. Of course, Sammy, being the older brother loves to pick on the younger, Billy Joe, when he gets bored. It will be a joyous day in this house when school starts again.
Cheryl is right, I need to be thankful for what we've got and have faith. God will work it out. One day she came to me and said, "God told me to save all the money we can." I looked at her like she was crazy, but she was right. Management told us a month later that they were closing my factory in a few months. I guess she was hearing from God. No man could ask for a better wife. I finish my drink and head to bed. The boys will have us up early in morning.
"Dad, Dad wake up!" Sammy is shaking me.
I glance at the clock and it's five-thirty. "We'll open presents in a minute, son."
"No, Dad, it's not that. I smell smoke in the house!" Sammy is in a panic.
My eyes pop open then. "Smoke!"
Cheryl jumps up, "What did you say, son?"
"Mom, I smell smoke. The fireman at school said we have to get out of the house!"
"Go get your brother up, now." Cheryl pushes him out the door.
I start searching the house for a fire and can't find a thing burning, but I smell it. That's when I look out the window and see smoke pouring out of the garage out back. "Holy crap, the garage is on fire. Call the fire department, honey. I'll see if I can get the car out of the garage." Grabbing the keys I run out the door.
Thick black smoke billows out of every crack it can find. I can't open the garage door. So, I put the key in the side door and kick it open. It gives the fire exactly what it wants, oxygen. Flames shoot out the door and throws me backwards. I land on my back with my hair and clothes on fire.
Cheryl screams, "No!" She rips off her robe then throws it on top of me and suffocates the fire. "Are you burned bad, honey?"
"I don't think so." I'm searching my body for any pain and very thankful for not finding any. Touching the top of my head, I find got a haircut I didn't need. "Grab the hose. We have to keep it off the roof or the house will catch." Cheryl and I run to the side of the house. I grab the hose and Cheryl turns it on. I start spraying the Oak tree in between the garage and house.
The boys are standing there in a daze with their mouths wide open. Watching it all happen.
Our neighbor, Jimmy, comes running to help. He has a garden at the side of his house. His garden hose is close by. Jimmy jerks up his hose then twists on the faucet and joins the fight to save our house. He screams, "Tony, let's hit the front of the garage and keep it off the tree!"
Both hoses seem to take hold and the smoke boils in the air. All of us breath a sigh of relief when we hear sirens coming down the road. The fire truck pulls into our driveway. It's the pumper truck from the Medina fire department. The firemen jerk the hoses off the truck and join the fight.
Thirty minutes later the fire is just a few smoldering embers. The firemen are packing up. I walk over and thank them for saving our house. Smiling, I wish them Merry Christmas. They're all grinning at me strangely while driving away.
Jimmy offers to share breakfast with us. We thank him for everthing he did, but decline. He laughs under his breath while walking away. All of us stumble into the house, stunned. I can't believe we just lost our car and garage on Christmas day.
I get some clothes and go take a shower trying not to think about it. When I get out of the shower the room is full of steam, I can't see a thing. After getting dressed I head back to the kitchen to get some coffee.
Cheryl and the boys are standing there staring at me like I'm an alien. "What are you guys staring at?" Sammy and Billy Joe start to laugh.
"Honey, did you look in the mirror?" Cheryl's eyes have teared up and a huge smile appears on her face.
"No, it was steamed up. Why?" I have a feeling, I really don't want to know. Running back to the bathroom, I wipe the mirror clean. There's no hair on the top of my head, I'm completely bald. Plenty on both sides and the back. I look like a hairy eraser. I just comb the sides and back up, to fluff it out. We're going to have a good Christmas. No matter what's happened. Proudly, I head back to the kitchen to get some more coffee.
Cheryl and the boys are huddled together in the kitchen about to explode. I pour me a cup then turn around and say, "What, you don't like my new haircut?"
The three of them fall on the floor, laughing hysterically.
I just rub my head and smile. "What a Christmas!"
1976
This wasn't supposed to happen. The shoe industry completely collapsed when all the major shoe manufacturers began to send their work to China and Mexico for the cheaper labor. A shut down of all the shoe factories in this area began immediately. In some of the smaller towns, the shoe factories were the major employer. Losing seventy percent of the jobs in a small town, devastated the local businesses. Many of towns went from twenty-five stores on Main street to five in less than a year. I worked in Humboldt, which had nine shoe factories close within six months.
Our family was dealt a double blow. My factory closed the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. The office my wife worked at closed on December twenty-first, three days ago. This is going to be one slim Christmas.
My wife, Cheryl, is amazing. She's planned our Christmas dinner down to the last piece of chocolate cake. She told me, "There ain't going to be any leftovers but we'll all be full. What else do you want on Christmas day? All I need is my family together celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ." I just shake my head and smile at her. What else can you say.
The kids are finally asleep. Cheryl is lying in bed reading and I'm sipping an Egg Nog with a shot of Jack Daniels in it. I'm trying to keep a good attitude, but it's hard. Cheryl was hoping to get a job at a sewing factory on Garmany Street. We heard yesterday that it might close.
I know that Christmas is a hopeful time of year, but there's not a lot of hope in Milan on this Christmas Eve.
I feel a hand rub my shoulder, "Why don't you come to bed, Tony? Worrying about it ain't going to help a thing. We need to have faith in God and He'll work it out for us."
"I'll be there in a minute." I can't look at her right now.
She leans down and kisses my cheek, "I love you, sweetie." I hear her footsteps head down the hall.
The flashing lights on the tree are creating interesting shapes on the wall. Today, I showed the boys how to look up inside the tree. They were under there for an hour watching the colors and shapes that seem to dance in the reflections on the ornaments. It gave them a new view of the Christmas tree.
At least we were able to buy Sammy and Billy Joe a few presents to put under the tree. We couldn't spend much but I think both of them will love the Hot Wheels track we bought them. They already have a hundred cars and it will keep them out of trouble. They're really good boys, they just get bored too fast. Of course, Sammy, being the older brother loves to pick on the younger, Billy Joe, when he gets bored. It will be a joyous day in this house when school starts again.
Cheryl is right, I need to be thankful for what we've got and have faith. God will work it out. One day she came to me and said, "God told me to save all the money we can." I looked at her like she was crazy, but she was right. Management told us a month later that they were closing my factory in a few months. I guess she was hearing from God. No man could ask for a better wife. I finish my drink and head to bed. The boys will have us up early in morning.
"Dad, Dad wake up!" Sammy is shaking me.
I glance at the clock and it's five-thirty. "We'll open presents in a minute, son."
"No, Dad, it's not that. I smell smoke in the house!" Sammy is in a panic.
My eyes pop open then. "Smoke!"
Cheryl jumps up, "What did you say, son?"
"Mom, I smell smoke. The fireman at school said we have to get out of the house!"
"Go get your brother up, now." Cheryl pushes him out the door.
I start searching the house for a fire and can't find a thing burning, but I smell it. That's when I look out the window and see smoke pouring out of the garage out back. "Holy crap, the garage is on fire. Call the fire department, honey. I'll see if I can get the car out of the garage." Grabbing the keys I run out the door.
Thick black smoke billows out of every crack it can find. I can't open the garage door. So, I put the key in the side door and kick it open. It gives the fire exactly what it wants, oxygen. Flames shoot out the door and throws me backwards. I land on my back with my hair and clothes on fire.
Cheryl screams, "No!" She rips off her robe then throws it on top of me and suffocates the fire. "Are you burned bad, honey?"
"I don't think so." I'm searching my body for any pain and very thankful for not finding any. Touching the top of my head, I find got a haircut I didn't need. "Grab the hose. We have to keep it off the roof or the house will catch." Cheryl and I run to the side of the house. I grab the hose and Cheryl turns it on. I start spraying the Oak tree in between the garage and house.
The boys are standing there in a daze with their mouths wide open. Watching it all happen.
Our neighbor, Jimmy, comes running to help. He has a garden at the side of his house. His garden hose is close by. Jimmy jerks up his hose then twists on the faucet and joins the fight to save our house. He screams, "Tony, let's hit the front of the garage and keep it off the tree!"
Both hoses seem to take hold and the smoke boils in the air. All of us breath a sigh of relief when we hear sirens coming down the road. The fire truck pulls into our driveway. It's the pumper truck from the Medina fire department. The firemen jerk the hoses off the truck and join the fight.
Thirty minutes later the fire is just a few smoldering embers. The firemen are packing up. I walk over and thank them for saving our house. Smiling, I wish them Merry Christmas. They're all grinning at me strangely while driving away.
Jimmy offers to share breakfast with us. We thank him for everthing he did, but decline. He laughs under his breath while walking away. All of us stumble into the house, stunned. I can't believe we just lost our car and garage on Christmas day.
I get some clothes and go take a shower trying not to think about it. When I get out of the shower the room is full of steam, I can't see a thing. After getting dressed I head back to the kitchen to get some coffee.
Cheryl and the boys are standing there staring at me like I'm an alien. "What are you guys staring at?" Sammy and Billy Joe start to laugh.
"Honey, did you look in the mirror?" Cheryl's eyes have teared up and a huge smile appears on her face.
"No, it was steamed up. Why?" I have a feeling, I really don't want to know. Running back to the bathroom, I wipe the mirror clean. There's no hair on the top of my head, I'm completely bald. Plenty on both sides and the back. I look like a hairy eraser. I just comb the sides and back up, to fluff it out. We're going to have a good Christmas. No matter what's happened. Proudly, I head back to the kitchen to get some more coffee.
Cheryl and the boys are huddled together in the kitchen about to explode. I pour me a cup then turn around and say, "What, you don't like my new haircut?"
The three of them fall on the floor, laughing hysterically.
I just rub my head and smile. "What a Christmas!"
This barn is behind the blue house in Chapter III. It looked like it burned a long time ago. I thought it would make a good Christmas story. I thought Tony was the kind of guy who could laugh at himself, like me. He wasn't about to let anything ruin his Christmas. I hope you enjoy reading it. Have a great day and God bless.
mike
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