The House of Treasure
by 
Jojovits1
|
Posted: Thursday, November 5, 2015 Word Count: 114 Summary: Sixteen and studying, my next door neighbour asked me to stand in for her for a couple of days tending an old gentleman who lived in the "big house" down the road. Never knew much about him. The house was like a museum. It fascinated me for years and I never forgot him (also it was a shocking revelation to a sixteen yr old, seeing a 90 yr olds "bits") |
It was a large house.
Dust and ghosts
embraced me;
filled my nostrils
with the stench
of age and money.
The owner was
ninety one.
A gentleman once,
now fragile
as a whisper.
I was to tend him.
I was sixteen.
He asked if I could
help him "go",
showed me himself;
small, damp.
Bottle fallen on the floor.
Embarrassed, I turned
away to see
the memories around.
A phonograph
with stacks of music;
A charming man
quick to dance.
Propeller from a
WW1 plane;
Two wars bravely fought.
I saw photographs,
paintings,
wife, children.
Life etched into
every surface.
I turned back,
put his bottle
beneath the covers.
Tucked him in.