Twitterive: Cleaning the Basement
This twitterive assignment began one way and has changed direction during the writing process. At first my tweets about my brothers playing in the basement made me want to write about their music being the background music of our family's life. However this story really had nothing to do with my connection to the basement or about the room itself. When I was able to really take a few minutes and sit in the small room called the basement, I realized that a lot of memories were actually in this room. Whether it be from the toys, books, or different discussions that took place there. I realized that I really do have a connection to the basement which I never knew before. This story takes place in one room but focuses on different events or memories.
base-ment n. The foundation of a building or home; the cellar formed by the space between the ground and the first floor. (New Revised Edition Webster's Classic Reference Library Dictionary)
“What do you think about this?” as she lifts up an old nerf gun.
“Ah I don’t know mom. Will we ever use it again?” I'm almost sure all the spongy nerf bullets are lost forever. My brother was probably 8 or 10 years old when he got it for his birthday or Christmas. “Yea I guess this can go in the junk pile.”
Mom and I have been cleaning the basement for about an hour and already and there's a few different piles going on. The “let’s keep it pile”, the “junk pile”, the “Good Will pile” and the “Aunt Carey who has 9 kids pile” who can always use toys. What started out as a suggestion: “Let’s clean the basement” has turned into a major project. I see a crowded room that could have more space. My mom sees her children’s childhood and all the memories that go along with these toys. It’s amazing that I'm not attached to anything but she has sentimental value for each item. When it comes to the dollhouse there's no question. She looks at the dollhouse my sister got as a child and says “We are definitely keeping this. It’s still in good condition.” “Oh yea no problem”. My sister Cecilia is 17 now and thinking of her makes me remember when I was brought to the basement for another reason...
...It was Easter eve. Every Easter all the aunts, uncles and cousins went over grandmom and pop’s house. All I was thinking of was seeing the cousins and eating candy. I was all dressed up and waiting to leave when my parents called me down the basement. Nothings down there. Am I in trouble? Why do they want to talk down there? I opened the door and walked down the stairs into my dad's music studio. My parents were both there waiting for me.
“What have you been asking and praying for a lot?” they asked.
I thought for a minute...“Oh my gosh! Are we going to Disney World!?”
They smiled at each other and began again,
“What else have you wanted?”
I paused and smiled, “A sister?”
Then dad said “Mom is going to have a baby. We wanted to tell you before we made the announcement to everyone at grandmom’s.”
I was so happy. I had been asking specifically for a sister, named Cecilia for a few months and I was getting her....
“What have you been asking and praying for a lot?” they asked.
I thought for a minute...“Oh my gosh! Are we going to Disney World!?”
They smiled at each other and began again,
“What else have you wanted?”
I paused and smiled, “A sister?”
Then dad said “Mom is going to have a baby. We wanted to tell you before we made the announcement to everyone at grandmom’s.”
I was so happy. I had been asking specifically for a sister, named Cecilia for a few months and I was getting her....
...Now staring at that dollhouse I can't believe she's already 17. Where has the time gone?
There's so much stuff down here. Toys and books and of course the laundry machine. The books on the shelf are all dusty and have been down here for a while now. The Diary of St. Faustina. Now theres a book I know well. Reading that book changed my life.
As I'm thinking about the books mom says, "I still can't believe your home"
"Me either." It's crazy. Three years go pretty quickly when your past them. I still remember when I told Matt I was leaving...
... "Hey Matt? Can I see you downstairs for a sec?" He goes down the basement all the time to play in the band but I only am down here for privacy right now. The two of us go down and he says "What's up?"
I had been going through a sort of re-conversion to the Catholic faith and decided to enter the convent. I was happy to tell him the news not really thinking of the fact that we wouldn't see each other for a while.
I should just say it: "This September I'm going into the convent."
We were standing at the bottom of the stairs. He didn't say anything but just hugged me. Then he said "Awesome."
He was 17 and a sophomore in high school at the time....
I had been going through a sort of re-conversion to the Catholic faith and decided to enter the convent. I was happy to tell him the news not really thinking of the fact that we wouldn't see each other for a while.
I should just say it: "This September I'm going into the convent."
We were standing at the bottom of the stairs. He didn't say anything but just hugged me. Then he said "Awesome."
He was 17 and a sophomore in high school at the time....
..."What do you think? We've been down here for a while. Break time?"
She stands up and nods and gives me a hug and says,
"We are definitely getting rid of that bear. It's so dirty."
This is the first thing my mom has wanted to get rid of.
"Really?"
"Yea it's filthy" and we both laugh. Little by little this room is getting clean...
She stands up and nods and gives me a hug and says,
"We are definitely getting rid of that bear. It's so dirty."
This is the first thing my mom has wanted to get rid of.
"Really?"
"Yea it's filthy" and we both laugh. Little by little this room is getting clean...
tweets that inspired this twitterive.....
#twitterive#wrt2 310 south black horse pike, blackwood... open mic at "the live room" check out "the after hours"
#twitterive quiet street outside. Glenns truck parked out front. walk into the house and hear the guys playing
#twitterive#wrt2 a man and a woman just walked by ..each with a guitar on them
#wrt2#twitterive the warhawks are playing tonight on 4th and girard.. the fire
#wrt2#twitterive over the years ...cousins and brothers playing in the band in the basement. http://www.youtube.com/watch? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBJr9M1M3pw ....glen on bass
#wrt2#twitterive asked for someone's number and my brother gave me the one on a "full house" episode 555-2424
#wrt2#twitterive at kimmel center
#wrt2#twitterive the train can be heard coming through gloucester and my brother is playing drums