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Thursday, March 7, 2013

An I Love Lucy Moment


Recently I stayed over night at my daughter's apartment.   She had to go to work in the morning and I was not leaving until later.  When it was time for me to go I packed up all my things and headed out the door.  I trudged down the stairs with my bags, out the door, and across the street to my car.  But as I approached the car I realized I did not have my keys.  I remembered laying them on the bookshelf the night before.  Ugh!  Now what?!  I sent my daughter a text about my dilemma and she wrote back saying she could run home during lunch and let me back into the apartment.  Ok.  That could work.  It wasn't long until lunch.  But what to do with myself in the meantime?  So I trudged back across the street and back up the stairs to her apartment.  I stacked my bags by her door and parked myself there too.

Her wifi does not reach out to the hall.  And considering our plans for the 2 days I was there, I had not taken any reading material.  So I piddled with my phone until that became boring.

As I looked around where I was parked, really taking in the atmosphere for the first time, I realized I'd seen this scene before.  The building is from the early 1900's.  There is one main entrance and the front doors to all the apartments are inside with long hallways between.  There are large staircases with open railings.  This is very very similar to the apartment building that Lucy and Desi lived in, the one owned by Ethel and Fred Mertz.   I was reminded of the episode that showed the stairs the best.  Remember the one where Lucy wanted to make Desi believe she'd been kidnapped by robbers?  I don't remember all of it but somehow she ended up out in the hall sitting on the stairs pouting.  And then real robbers sneaked up on her from behind and kidnapped her.  Oh, those robbers were so silly and such bumblers.  Wouldn't it be nice if the bad guys of today were so comical?


So as I sat there waiting and remembered Lucy and Ethel, it made me think about how very many people had lived in those apartments in approximately 100 years.  Only these were real people, not funny people in a situation comedy for entertainment.  People whose lives were really lived in these apartments and on these stairs.  People whose lives had moved on to other adventures beyond these apartments.  I wondered how many feet had walked those stairs and where they are walking today.

I suppose these are the kind of thoughts one usually has when at a famous historic site where important people have done profound things.  But this is a humble place where people just living their lives have trod.  I find that intriguing.  Are there humble places you have found inspiring as you've thought of its history?




Wind and Honey Creations

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh absolutely! Everytime I see an old book or old quilt or anything like that I whose hands they've been in and why they were reading/using it and what they thought and what kind of life they were living at the time. So fun to take an item and make a story of what you think happened.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Dear Elizabeth! Oh, I have had many Lucy moments; in school, at work, recently in many situations! But you are right. When we are given some "down" time, we start to think about the unseen. It is a wonderful opportunity to unearth what we would let pass without giving it deeper thought. My home is an older home, and I have gotten caught up in my life here, how we have changed this house so much. But one day an elderly neighbor came over and started to tell me how many years ago, she used to come to visit with the first owner of this house to have tea. It made me think about the walls, and what secrets are stored in them.

I HOPE YOU GOT INTO THE APARTMENT OK!

Have a great evening my dear. Anita

Patty said...

What a cool staircase in your daughter's apartment. It's amazing what we can think about when we are forced to! Gives us time to stop and think. Aren't daughters the best!!

Jan Hermann said...

I love wondering what has taken place in an old building before I was there. Your daughter's apartment building is wonderful.

Jan ♥

Floss said...

1 love the sense of history in old buildings- our French town has old photos of shop keepers outside the buildings that are still there,and it's great to walk round the town with glimpses of the past in mind. Thanks for your Comment about our tortoise! We've given him a bit of a clean-up now.

Brenda Lynn said...

Beautiful building. And beautiful thoughts. Oh what "being still" does for us; how much we must miss. (And I loved Lucy, too. :) )

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