THE FOOTNOTES

I CRIED WHEN I GOT MY FIRST LOOK AT OUR NEW HOME. IT WAS ON THE THIRD,
OR TOP FLOOR OF WHAT WAS CALLED A BLOCK. THERE WAS A TAVERN AND A
GROCERY STORE ON THE FIRST FLOOR WITH ALL THE ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES AND
NOISE. TWO RESIDENTIAL STORIES WERE ABOVE. OTHER BUSINESSES INCLUDING A COBBLER SJOP, BARBER SHOP, DRUG STORE AND SECOND GROCERY STORE WERE ADJACENT.
OUR BUILDING WAS UNAPPEALING ENOUGH, BUT THE GARISH YELLOW BRICK
CONSTRUCTION SIMPLY DREW ATTENTION TO ITS OWN DECLINING STATE OF
PRESERVATION. IN THE GRASSLESS BACK YARD, THERE WAS A TRASH BURNING
BARREL WHICH WAS SHARED BY ALL. ADD ING THE FRAGRANCES OF THAT
SMOLDERING BARREL TO THOSE OF THE COMMUNITY GARBAGE PAILS
CREATED AN AMBIANCE OF SORTS. MAYBE NOT THE AMBIANCE OF CHOICE.
THE GARBAGE PAILS WERE OF GREAT INTEREST IN SUMMER. WHEN THE GARBAGE
WORKER CAME TO COLLECT THE FESTERING MASS, THE TEEMING MAGGOTS
WERE A SIGHT TO BEHOLD. WE HARDLY EVER SEE THAT TODAY, AT LEAST IN
TOLLAND.
THE SIX ROOM APARTMENT HAD A COAL BURNING STOVE IN THE KITCHEN
WHICH CONSTITUTED THE HEATING SYSTEM. THERE WAS NO FURNACE. SIX ROOMS
IS LOT TO HEAT, AND THE STOVE COULDN.T DO IT. THE BEDROOM IN WINTER
WAS LIKE THE NORTH POLE. WE KEPT A RECTANGULAR PIECE OF SOME KIND OF
FLAT STONE IN THE OVEN TO HEAT UP ALL DAY. THE STONE HAD A WIRE
HANDLE SO WE WOULD USE THE STONE TO TAKE THE CHILL OFF THE BED, THEN
WE WOULD WRAP THE STONE IN NEWSPAPER AND PUT IT UNDER THE COVERS
TO PUT OUR FEET ON. WHEN THE WETHR WAS ESPECIALLY COLD, OUR
OVERCOATS WENT ON TOP OF THE BLANKETS, TOO. WE WERE HAPPY TO HAVE OUR
DOG, TIPPY, SLEEP WITH US. WE HAD ONE DOG WHILE WE HAD THREE DOG
NIGHTS. TO STEP ON THE BEDROOM FLOOR WITH BARE FEET WAS TO BE
FROZEN TO THE ARM PITS. INSTANTANEOUSLY.
THE KITCHEN STOVE HAD A COUPLE OF ADVANTAGES. IF YOU CAME INTO THE
HOUSE WITH WET, OR HALF-FROZEN FEET, BECAUSE THE SOLES OF YOUR SHOES
HAD BEEN WORN THROUGH AND THE CARDBOARD YOU HAD PLACED INSIDE THE
SHOE WASN’T THICK ENOUGH, YOU COULD PULL UP THE MORRIS CHAIR (LIKE
TODAY’S RECLINER) AND PUT YOUR FEET AS WELL AS THE WET
SHOES INTO THE OVEN. THE STOVE ALSO KEPT THE COFFEE POT WARM ALL
DAY AS WATER WAS CONTINUALLY ADDED TO THE COFFEE GROUNDS WHICH
CREATED THE FIRST POT OF THE DAY. BY FOUR O’CLOCK, THE COFFEE HAD
BECOME A SYRUP WHICH WOULD TURN YOUR STOMACH, BUT WAS CONSUMED
ANYWAY.

IN A PLACE LIKE THAT, YOU COULD LISTEN INTO THE FAMILY FIGHTS GOING ON
IN THE OTHER APARTMENTS, EVEN TNOSE DOWNSTAIRS. TROUBLE WAS, THE
NEIGBORS COULD HEAR OUR FIGHTS JUST A WELL, AND IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL FOR
MY FRIEND DOWNSTAIRS TO COMMENT ON WHAT WAS GOING ON IN OUR HOUSE.
I’M NOT SURE THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS DESPITE CURRENT
MYTHOLOGY WHICH GLAMORIZES IT.