The Chair: Volume I

John“I remember hearing chime sound off one, two, three, four times. It was loud that afternoon. Door opened. He was here. It pretty ring off in distance down hallway. Have lots of rooms. She carry him upstairs. They had room for him. Four stairways on three floors attic cellar porch. Cellar was cold. Furnace was hot. Sometimes I got next to it. In wintertime. Oh, cellar. They would bring bottles of wine fruit vegetables always ice in summertime. This was all around time I remember first seeing John. They would one day name street, bridge, school, rocket site after him. “When I come down hallway I saw people on walls in squares. People who lived in house. Some who did not. I knew most of them. They sometimes changed on those walls. More would show up there. Long trip it seemed to top of stairs. Doorways in hall some open some not. There was red green blue yellow orange piece glass window at one end hallway big window at other end where I would sit. Look outside. John Allen Cooper was born earlier at start of new day June 21, 1893 after midnight warm starry night here in New Rumley, Ohio. Now late afternoon he was home. Window white wooden frame opened little locks. Open. Close. Any time of year. Big blooming green leaf trees summer bright yellow orange brown trees fall leaves snow no leaves. Icy. Icy street front house going downhill. Bricks in road. When leaves gone cold always. I see from window. Bell ring downstairs children at door. John’s friends. I saw them walking up steps. Colored glass window swing open with latch to cool wind breeze. Others come too. Salesman once in a while. I don’t recall anyone buying anything from salesman at door. There was porch sunroom only got sun morning flowers. When I downstairs there were people sitting talking. They talk long time. Go right by me. Sit with me. Sit down. Sit by me. Chime sound twelve times middle of day. When John little he eat then. At table kitchen with black yellow checkerboard tile floor. Radio years later some people would listen to man speak about New York Paris Hollywood Florida Germany England London. Japan. China. Janice’s cabinet! I know that. I recall all of this. I do not always know order it all happened, but I was there for all of it. Into another room for “That’s my mother’s lace tablecloth” with rug under big table. From India. Tablecloth from Ireland, that rug from India. More rugs from Persia around house. Sometimes ten chairs around table. Sometimes twelve. Usually eight. I was mostly there when there were many people. Not always. Curtains around. Purple. John’s first word was purple. “Pur pull.” Coats for cold umbrellas for rain in closet just inside door. Someone always saying something about making something to eat or having someone else make them something to eat. Most talked while eating. John did not. John liked bananas. And mangos. Janice made banana pudding, mango pudding, mango banana cream pies, mango banana parfait. Perfect mango banana! Door outback kitchen led way alley garage was barn horses once lived there. Cars park there. Rakes shovels. Baseball bats. John liked baseball. Into west windows from sun go down into night I would really like everything light up for that nice while then dark. Taking all books there I know read by somebody so many books on shelfs in room. Chairs tables. I moved around in house. I don’t know what they read for what or why. To be happy or get away? People there already in place not all were in complete agreement. Never figured out exactly what happened. But I was in there. When I came into room there was cake that Janice lit on fire with matches. They were singing to John who was very happy. Happy birthday happy birthday happy birthday dear John happy birthday to you. He would sit with me quite often. He was happy most times. I did not know where he went when he left. But found out real soon. I missed him very much. But he did come back. Four years later he was very different. Quiet. Know him, but very different. So. Only answered questions when asked. Logs on fire this time just as if he was back with his cake again. So many people greet him when he came back home. Front room with fireplace. Mother Janice serving drinks to all. Father Terry was shaking everybody hand. We came in everyone all afternoon. John brown clothes. Jewelry shiny bars shoulders. Eagle on hat. Colorful patches over chest. War was over. I heard someone say that to someone some time ago. War ended last November eleventh hour eleventh day eleventh month. In France England Germany. Now in May trees are green. I knew some of them, but not all of them. Someone sat coat on me then Janice took it away for some reason hung hall closet. It was long coat for woman to wear in rain. It still chilly early May. When I went outside at back for while Terry always had smoke. Smoked Lucky Strikes. Started when John went away. John was in Europe. Terry read newspaper news of day of war. After coming home from work before dinner. Usually about 6 o’clock. Most nights Scotch or Bourbon or Gin. Sometimes his friends there. Vodka. Wine. They would talk. Smoke drink laugh. Terry once told them “Wood barrels from Bourbon in Kentucky, also Tennessee are broken down apart with wood slats, now aged, are sent to Scotland to make casks for Scotch. There is no more wood for Scotch left there. Can you imagine cost for that now? To make scotch casks.” A long talking one night about many flavors from Bourbon cask wood in Tennessee, then Kentucky for Scotch in Scotland. Some said want to go to Kentucky Tennessee. Terry smart. They all want to go to Scotland now. Really something about those. No one knew when or if he would be here. Raining hard so hard all went inside. I all out in rain all night once. Not too cold. Most of time I spend in dark sitting at night all night. Out sometime. Look for stars. John sat with me once saw hunter with belt sword bright. Goes better when windows open wind swirls in. Light to dark day tonight day to noon sky is bright could happen but there were many lights. It all went by so fast but she sat by me “What time is it?” to John. He told her it was “seven o’clock. ”It is time to go.” “Not just yet” John told her. I see but why do they have to leave so soon? Big truck would come to house sometimes men take tables boxes in out. If they were really big they come in back door. I would go to garage I never liked being there it was always dark felt bad smell gasoline sounded bugs inside in summer hot but not so much especially morning. Man in blue drop papers envelopes in front door every Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday different man came on Saturday lunch time. Janice once told everyone he was from Columbus originally. Saturdays I sat on porch. Janice had plants to sun. Later I sit with all papers at table plan for me to do so. To do something. Janice tore them up put them in piles. Although it surprise to me as Janice pick up envelopes papers look at them as if they were puzzle. I never knew what she was doing. She says “No…Okay…pay this…wait no one around but me. I wonder who ordered this? And where is it?” Some pieces important she said. Then she take them all down to hall put them on her desk. Pencils pens. Eyeglasses. Scissors. Knife open letters. Numbers places she said she just know would go to one day. Long before John went away again when he was happy. Should take it all around house move me around make loud sound whoozing. Long cord into wall. Not every time. Most times I watch it at night right next to her with John she talk to him. Good night! Time for dinner sometime I come in to where people sitting eating food. Always smell nice clean. If others come late they always sit me with them. Soup biscuit rolls banana mango pies. Up over, just as taking his shirt off baby boy, off to New York to university soldier school. World War start I told when crazy man shot king or prince, someone, over something in Europe who John’s some of his family members had been to Europe they would always talk about. John went to Europe after this. I would miss him when he was gone. It seems like hundred years ago. It was more than that I thought maybe. Or yesterday. Baked bread smelled house sweet hot made everyone happy so stew warm for middle of table ham chicken always there with food. Turkey Thanksgiving. Ham Christmas. Many times, both for each. Lots of people holidays. Icebox man came in back door it was cold I would sit by big cube burlap sacks near icebox. John’s father Terry made up timetables for railroad he took me out in backyard lots times smoked cigars drinking brown scotch. We would sit together look at sky until sun went down. That Scotch from Scotland made with that wood from Kentucky Tennessee. Men would come over talk with Mark about Cincinnati Cleveland Detroit Pittsburgh Philadelphia New York City Boston Kansas City Saint Louis. Buffalo. Washington. Baltimore. It was snowing in Chicago. Now. Terry would speak to himself sometimes hum songs. Songs his voice was low. Janice would come out ask him to come in. He was out not to be in! “I'll be along soon, Janice.” If she was in hurry she would yell from top of stairs with colored glass window open “Terry! We will be late!” They were never late. They would go out some evenings. Always dressed nice for church on Sunday. She smelled sweet sharp. Clean. We all sat under oak tree outback no matter what season. Water lawn slow he stand out for while then say how hot it was. Not too long. Ice snow for while then say how cold it was. But he liked it cold. He would make snowman with John. They had fun. You sat on my arm! You just kick my leg! I know you didn't mean it but you everyone else just kept walking by. They all did that. Walk by. Maybe they could not hear me. I do not know if they listen. Yes, no one heard, because no one listened. That is always it. Dining room had cabinet built in China I think it was. But Janice also put her plates in there. China! Knives forks spoons pitchers. Tray. Few trays. Saucers. Only room for guests when eat mostly. I was there lots. Always so many visitors. Guests sit with me. When door opens usually filled me come in before anyone else did I never cared if it was hot or cold always lot of time I was upstairs even third floor or even in our attic. Not matter to me. Merwyn Flaherty called “side patio on top” her place to I never knew what she meant until Thanksgiving that one year. She did not live here. We sat one time she looked out could see into town. All come up to balcony off roof to guests relatives friends including even hers who will smoke drink many times not all sometimes splash spill it lasts for me begin to laugh. Widow peak big window door. But they weren’t laughing at me. Why would they? They just liked to laugh. A lot. We were all together they would talk. I never talked. About maybe war, about money, about children they did talk. A new store opened in town. Now with new children’s clothes shoes sun caps they said. “Their children your children our children.” Children at school. John gone away. “To our children’s children’s children.” Everyone always has story most of time. Except Tom. He rarely spoke. But he would always carry things up to attic. Then back down again when they asked. He liked clock. Tommy Flaherty. He lived three doors down. His wife called him Thomas but everyone else called him Tommy. They would play baseball through house up down stairs. Homerun top of stairs. But that was many years ago. Tick-tock o’clock. But on balcony for Thanksgiving first time I remember in snow began Mr. Gordon C. Monahan of First Bank Trust stood up before us all saying poem or something I did not understand what it meant. About “prosperous future.” It’s crowded it was cold. No real reason for it I could tell. Everyone raise their glass when he talked. “Cheers.” Not forgotten? Looking for sunshine on fourth floor?