Crossing the Threshold of the Stairs

Stairs
Staris at Mom and Dad’s Photo by Gus Hudson

A home holds many memories. Mom told me once,

“The stairs are part of my exercise routine.”

I wonder how many times mom cleaned the stairs? Now she is free of that! No more worrying about stains on the stairs or if the kids are going to fall down them anymore. My paternal grandmother couldn’t walk down them so she slid down them on her behind.  Then there were the paper racecars on paper tracks that raced down those stairs. I remember when sixteen a brother chasing me up the stairs while grasping and ripping my only persimmon colored cashmere sweater. I guess I had done something nasty to him at the time.

What lurked at the top of the stairs?

Siblings and fights and running up the stairs and out the door. I did that a lot. Looking to the top of the stairs at night was a scary adventure because I had to go up there alone at night. What lurked at the top of the stairs? My youngest child still looks up there with the same wonderful fear as I did. Mom and a brother told me about the shadows at night that walked the stairs. They may still be there tonight.

A child hearing the distant sound of a pack of wild coyotes screaming in the night.

This was not a dream because as a child I heard and then saw the parade of music and fairies dancing up the stairs passing through my bedroom into the boy’s room.  I know the floating white ghost came from the stairs. This all started by the sounds of the night. Waking up as a child and hearing the distant sound of a pack of wild coyotes screaming in the night.

moon light might shine through

For siblings crossing the threshold of the stairs; going up and down them was a common part of life. Above the stairs is a widow that lit up the stairs during the day and at night the moon light might shine through. Then there were the mysterious shining multicolored lights from alien mother ships; they tuned on as fast as a light switch. Yes at the very same window and at the bottom of the stairs. This was their point of vortex vertex contact.

holy as gold, frankincense and myrrh

At Christmas Dad would staple large tree branches highlighting the stairs mixed with holiday lights. Perfuming the air with the smell of Xmas trees as holy as gold, frankincense and myrrh only to be overcome by the smell of booze, cigars and food.