My Grandmother's Trunk

Many years ago
on the many visits to my grandmother's home
I was fascinated by this trunk.

It sat under the telephone
which sat on a little shelf.

Memories of the party line
and I had been instructed to not pick it up
unless it rang a certain amount of times.

Everyone on this line
I think were notorious
for picking it up,
covering the mouth piece
and listening in :)
I think everyone knew a lot that was going on
in peoples lives that they had never met.

The trunk was covered with a piece of material with flowers on it.

Sometimes it would be uncovered and opened
and I would see the contents.
Always remember a pink velvet turban which contained
the hair from the head of my father's youngest sister.
Virginia passed away at age 22 with a brain tumor.
My grandmother became a widow in her early 30's with 6 children.
  So sad and I still remember seeing
her the coffin in the front room of my grandmother's small home.

I could not have been over 5 or 6
and remember to this day how beautiful she was.

Remember in later years making a request for this trunk
someday.

My father secured this trunk for me after my grandmother passed away.

It has traveled from home to home with me
but in this much smaller home and no room for it.
So at this time it is stored at a friends in a nearby town.

This was on my mind throughout the night and it is
strange how something will come to mind and you keep thinking about.
This trunk and other items with family history
that I really do not think any of my children or grandchildren
desire.
But then I have always liked and been drawn to family items with history.
For some reason they make me feel  connected.
Can remember as a child always asking about certain items and I guess
this is the reason that my mother and grandmother passed items on to me.

I am going to have someone pick up the trunk for me
and bring it to this cottage
and going to paint it Bright Red.
I saw one somewhere like this
and cannot remember where...

Where I will put it
do not know where
as no space
but may put it in my bedroom :)
It needs to come home..

While on this subject
I remember when my mother passed away
and the daughter of my stepfather appeared
and a long story
but she took possession of many family items.
I was asked if there was anything I wanted
and I picked out several items
and to this day
wish I had taken my mother's old
coffee pot that sat on top of her stove.

Strange such an item comes to mind :)