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| China Cabinet Heirloom |
The
lease began on November 1st 1977 – just a month after I
began my job at Roswell Park. I've mentioned before that I had
nothing but my bedroom set when I moved in, so every month, besides
putting aside money for rent and food, I tried to save enough for
something for the apartment – sometimes saving for months before
being able to afford a new piece of furniture or the burnt orange
carpet I finally put in the living room.
The
apartments were in units of 4 – A and B were downstairs and C and D
were on the second floor. In the apartment across the hall from me
lived a young couple and their newborn baby. We would say hi if we
saw each other, but we did not visit or even make much small talk –
I probably knew their names from the mail and mailboxes by the door
at the bottom of the stairs, but if I did know their names at one
time, they are now long forgotten.
There
were basements in the apartment buildings. Our basement connected to
two other buildings and contained a coin operated washer and dryer –
which was very nice – no walking to the laundromat! And there were
storage spaces for each apartment marked off in chicken wire. I don't
remember what I had in my storage space – probably empty moving
boxes.
Well
sometime in 1979, there was a knock on my door and when I answered,
the husband from apartment C was there. He said that they were moving
and they were not going to take the china cabinet that was in their
storage unit in the basement. Would I be interested in having it? I
did not know about the china cabinet in the basement – did not
recall ever seeing it, through the chicken wire, but since I still
did not have much furniture, I said sure. And I asked how much I
could pay them for the cabinet? He said that they did not want
anything for it – they were not taking it with them and just wanted
me to know about it so I could take it if I would like it – the
storage unit would not be locked when they moved out (I think we
bought our own padlocks for them).
I
said that I wanted to give them something for the cabinet or I would
not feel right in taking it. He turned back toward his own apartment
door and repeated that they would be leaving it and it was mine if I
would like.
It
was soon after they moved out that my Dad turned 50 – that's how I
remember it was 1979 – and I had a few people over to celebrate.
After cake and song, I asked Dad and his best friend who we always
called Uncle Dave if they could bring a piece of furniture up from
the basement for me. Soon I had a beautiful mahogany china cabinet in
the apartment.
The
wine hutch and end tables I had acquired earlier are pine – from
New England – purchased after seeing a display at the Erie County
Fair one year.
Does
pine go with mahogany?
Who
cares!
When
you are a storyteller – it is the story about the furniture that is
most precious – the pieces all blend together perfectly once
the stories are known!
The
china cabinet has come with us for all of our moves. The little knob
on one of the doors has always been missing – gives it even more
personality, don't you think? I can understand the couple wanting to
leave it behind if it was only a burden to them – and I can
understand them hoping it would go to a good home – to someone who
could use it and maybe even appreciate it. And since the day that
they gave it away, the china cabinet has been well used and well
loved.
Amanda has mentioned that she would like to have the cabinet someday
when she is living some place that has room for it – she will put
her own treasures inside – but the mahogany will contain a lifetime
of memories and its own special, still growing, story!
214
20150802 China Cabinet
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