Posted by boxdude on 07-12-2005 at17:15:
My Old Rocking Chair
The other day I was rocking on the front porch of my house on a priceless old rocking chair that, as it creaked, reminded me of days gone by. Simpler days. My days as a kid. And with this heat, the dog days of summer. You see, that old rocker used to sit an uncle of mine who has since passed on to heaven. That rocker, I believe, has been fixed and re-glued as much as it can be. But the memories the wear and tear tell me are loud as I rock upon that old chair.
My Uncle Ernest would sit on this old chair, and along with my other Uncles, Albert, Braudus and Ed, would relax on the front porch of the old farm house talking and drinking tea to pass the time. They would always wave to the passer by's driving in their cars and come up with stories about that them. Us kids would roll our eyes and say, "we have heard this one before" and continue our play chasing each other around the farm house. But as the day grew long, without fail, someone in the family would yell, "play some music". Then others would follow with their demands of favorite songs. So the Uncles would get up off their seats, go into the house and grab their stringed instruments. Then each one would come back onto the porch as if it were a stage wearing a smile knowing this was their favorite time of the day. All of us would stop play and gather together looking past the rails of the porch to watch. To listen. Even though it was hot and the air was humid, the music from those old guys made us all forget. We were taken somewhere else. Music does that you know.
They would play gospel music, bluegrass music, country favorites, and some funny songs for all the kids; we new all the words to those songs. The harmony of their voices and the quickness of their string picking would carry far off over the countryside above the stalks of corn giving alarm to the area neighbors to come over and share in the fun. The front yard carried scars of past dance steps from all those neighbors. We would stare and listen while others "cut the lawn". The older ladies would interrupt their humming and timed clapping to casually talk with the person next to them. Man, those were fun times! Simpler, rocking chair days.
I do miss those times.
This short story is a reminder, The Lost Dogs, whose music reminds this author of those missed days, will be playing this Friday evening at the Walton Park "ADULT SWIM" Party. Tickets are still available for $10.00. Call Greg Capelli at 378-3020, or e mail your request to David Green at
cspinc1@aol.com, or come to the pool and purchase there