Title:               Grandma’s Attic

Author:          Chandra L Cook

Prompt:          Finding a locked silver box in the attic

Date:               December 23, 2019

 

Author’s Notes:  This is a Christmas gift to all my friends and family.  Please enjoy!

 

 

 

 I will never forget it.  It was the best Christmas ever and I had thought it would be the worst.  Christmas of 1977 was full of surprises both good and bad.  Mom and Dad had decided to spend Christmas in Florida and my brother and I were to spend it at Grandma’s in the big city of Charlotte, North Carolina.  I was so sad and disappointed in my family that I cried all the way from Vale, North Carolina to Charlotte which is about an hour’s drive.  I wanted a normal Christmas riding my horse in the woods near my home like I did every year, not a boring one watching old TV shows with my grandparents.

“Grandma tries to stuff us full of food just like she does her turkey every year, so I will probably gain ten pounds in one week,” I whined to my mom on the ride there.  Mom just tried to console me the best she could, but didn’t give in to my plea to stay home.

When we arrived at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, my brother and I reluctantly went in and ran up to our guest rooms.   I guess you could say that we had an attitude problem.  Mom and Dad came up and said their goodbyes and told us to go downstairs and be nice.  We politely and reluctantly obeyed because we felt guilty.  It wasn’t our grandparents’ fault that our parents were acting so crazy and irresponsible, after all.

Grandma immediately put me to work in the kitchen and Grandpa sat my brother, Timmy down to watch the game.  At 14, I hadn’t had much experience cooking and it wasn’t my favorite thing to do, but I politely started cutting the potatoes.  Timmy was already into the game with Grandpa because he always kept up with football at his young age of 10. 

“Judy, please watch what you are doing. Cut away from you, not toward you.”  Grandma was always watching out for us and I know she loved us dearly.

After dinner, Timmy and I helped clean up the dishes.  We were tired so we said out goodnights and walked up the stairs to go to our beds.  However Timmy had seen some Christmas decorations in the attic the last time we were there and wanted to surprise Grandma by decorating the house while she was asleep tonight.

“Judy they need help decorating and it would be fun,” he chimed.

“Alright, anything to kill the boredom here,” I agreed.

As we walked in the attic and turned on the light, I felt a shiver. This place had always scared me a little with all the packed boxes of memories and the unknown.  The first box that we opened was full of old clothes that Grandpa probably hadn’t worn for many years.  Timmy put some on and they swallowed him up like the whale swallowed Jonah.  The second box had the Christmas decorations in it, mostly lights which Timmy started checking out immediately with enthusiasm.  I opened another storage container that was smaller than all the others and to my dismay it contained a shiny silver box about as small as a jewelry box.  The box was locked tight with no key in sight.  I wondered if it contained a diamond ring, maybe Grandpa had forgotten he bought it for Grandma.  I had to keep it a secret though, just in case it wasn’t bought for Grandma, maybe Grandma bought something for Grandpa.  I quickly stuck it away behind another box before Timmy saw it.  Timmy wasn’t good at keeping secrets.

After Timmy and I strung the Christmas lights down the staircase, we went to our beds.  We were really exhausted but anxious to see how Grandma and Grandpa would react to their surprise the next morning.  I tried to go to sleep but the strange box in the attic wouldn’t get out of my head.  What could be in it?  I had to find out.  It would drive me crazy if I didn’t.  I quietly snuck up to the attic.  I had brought a fingernail file with me, as well as scissors and a knitting needle.  I patiently tried each one until presto it opened.  The fingernail file somehow did the trick.  To my surprise I saw a piece of paper, not jewelry!  I opened the paper carefully because it looked very old and fragile.  A map of Grandma and Grandpa’s house and the grounds it was built on was carefully drawn with a big red X in front of the large oak tree.  Now this was getting exciting!  I couldn’t wait to check it out.  I could barely sleep that night!

The next morning, Timmy and I were up early because we wanted to see our Grandparents’ smiles at the sight of their new Christmas decorations.  They were so happy that they took us out for pancakes at IHOP to celebrate.  All I could think about was getting back to explore the grounds and find out \what was under that X.  I would have to tell Timmy because he was like my shadow and would find out anyway, but could he keep it a secret? 

When we got back, I told Timmy that we should go outside and pitch the football knowing he would definitely comply.  When we got outside, I showed him the map and told him it was a top secret mission.  This was going to be the best Christmas ever.  I just knew we would find buried money or jewelry, something very expensive under that big oak tree.  I had brought Grandma’s gardening spade with me, tucked snugly in my coat.  As I dug, I watched carefully for unwanted company.  This was our secret and our treasure.  The ground was thankfully soft from all the rain, which made my quest much easier.  All of a sudden, I heard a thump telling me I had hit another object.  I pulled out a round gold box, a little bigger than the silver box I had found originally.

“What is it?  Open it!”  Timmy was beyond enthusiasm. 

“I will.  Give me a chance.”  I felt a little guilty doing this behind my grandparents’ backs like this.

“What are you kids doing?  This is not yours.”  Grandpa sounded mad.

 I dropped the box and ran as fast as I could with Timmy on my heels.  We ran to our rooms and sat there waiting for Grandpa to come up and scold us.  What would Mom and Dad say?  They told us to be nice.  We should be punished. 

Timmy knocked on my door.  “Can I come in?  You got me into this.” 

“You are right.  This is all my fault and I will tell Grandpa.  You don’t need to worry.”  I hugged my brother close, trying to comfort him.

The second knock on the door was much harder.  It was definitely Grandpa.

“Come in.”  Timmy and I were so scared that we could hardly talk.  Grandpa had a soft hand, but a firm hand when needed. 

Grandpa looked sad as he explained. “Kids, this was meant for you to find after Grandma and I were gone, but since you have already found them, I am giving them to you now.  I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.  These are poems that I have written my whole life.  Poetry has been in my head forever and I started writing them on paper as soon as I learned how to write.  I have never tried to publish them because I thought they were silly but I couldn’t throw them away. 

“Oh no it’s not Grandpa!  I write poetry too.  I love poetry.  I can’t wait to read them!  This was better than money or jewelry, I thought.

Grandpa had tears in his eyes as he handed us the wrinkled papers, some written on napkins, and many written on sticky notes. He sat in our room as Timmy and I read them, looking so proud and a little humbled. 

Those poems are now published and the book titled, Grandma’s Attic has sold over a million copies.  I am so proud of my Grandpa and I have never forgotten the Christmas of 1977.  He was and still is my hero and I hope one day to publish my book of poetry or maybe my grandkids will find them in a tiny silver box?