The older gentleman continued, “Are you Johnny? Johnny Dillion, Frank’s boy?”
“I am,“ I answered with a quizzical look.
“My name is Fred Anderson. You and my boys are about the same age. We have been neighbors for a long time. Anyways, welcome back. I haven’t seen you in a while.”
We waved goodbye to each other. As I stepped back into the house, it dawned on me that this was the gentleman that Uncle Frank kept me away from. This was the same family that went to church on Sunday and tried to come over to discuss the Bible. The very same people that my uncle would shew off of the porch.
A strong, musty smell wafted through the air, penetrating my nostrils, making my eyes water, and causing me to sneeze profusely. As I blindly looked through blurry eyes, searching for the cord to open the drapes so that the windows could be opened, I tripped over the floor lamp next to the couch in front of the living room window.
Thump!!! I landed face down on the floor. It took a minute or two for me to realize what had happened. As things started to come into view again, I realized that the old, brown, tattered carpet was still there. Boy was I glad because it was still soft and cushiony with the thick padding underneath. Laughing at myself for being so clumsy, I lifted myself off of the carpet, turned on the light, opened the drapes, and finally spun the handle to open the front windows. A refreshing breeze started blowing into the house.