REMEMBERING TRANSOMS AND THRESHOLDS: A FAMILY HISTORY

There are trash cans in the hallway at the building where I'm temping, that have handwritten signs on them that say, White Paper Only.

They remind me of the sign, that my father remembers as a boy, above the water fountain, at the gas station where his father was a mechanic (specializing in Fords), that had black smudged finger prints smudged fingerprints that were his father's.

Then I think back to the trash cans, in the building, where I temp, that are for white trash only.

Then I'm remembering my grandfather's funeral last week. Lying in his coffin, comfortable, but two-dimensional, his face was too white. He was neither drunk nor angry.

Then I'm thinking about my Sunday morning's hangover. And wondering what my grandfather's favorite drink was, and hoping it's not mine.

Then I recall the bar-b-qued ribs, green beans, hotdogs, potato salad, one good conversation and two bad conversations of Saturday night's party.

Then I remember that before he was born again my grandfather used to sit in his Ford, outside of The Church of God, until services were over, waiting to pick up my dad and his brothers and sister and their mom, his wife.

And then more bar-b-que (Lexington style), fried chicken, sweet tea,
prayer circle, several bad conversations and a touching moment. This at my grandmother's before the funeral.

And back to the party a friend of mine asks me where I see myself in 20 years. I say With kids, she says She won't be with the guy she's with now.
She wants more out of life and wonders Why presently things aren't so meaningful? I wonder too.

After my grandfather's religious upgrade, he gave the devil and drinking a black eye. I'm not sure if he ever gave my father a black eye.

Remembering again the lunch before the funeral, after the bar-b-que, and after the conversation with an uncle about The new economy that has just changed so much with the integration of new technologies, Everything is done by e mail these days, Yes, my aunt who had been busy making sure everyone was fed, and every paper plate thrown away, stopped me and my sister, and with tears suddenly said, I pray for ya'll everyday on my way to work, I want you to know that I love ya'll.

And now I'm in the building where I'm temping. And thinking about the building where I'm temping and remembering transoms and thresholds.


Aaron L