The Desk....

I can not remember the last time I went to a yard sale. I used to be a HUGE yard sale junky and I used to love to "dumpster dive". But over the years, I guess my tastes have become a little more pricey. But Saturday, we drove by a yard sale and I decided I wanted to go take a look. So Chris, being the patient, loving husband he is, turned the car around and we went back to the yard sale. We pulled up onto the little hill and parked. Almost as soon as I got out of the car I saw it! There it was! The desk! Now, this was not just any ordinary desk. This was a little antique rolltop kids desk. Now, let me just add, that after selling our historic home in Suffolk, I had no desire to ever again own anything old and antique. We own only one antique - a dining room table of which I am none to fond of. But the desk... I just had to have it. Why, you may wonder, did I have this obsession to own this little antique kids desk? Well, I will explain.... When I was a little girl (many years ago), my grandfather Diamond gave my sister and I a little desk. It was old back then and in much need of repair. My grandfather fixed it up for us. I have lots of memories of that desk. I remember playing "Bank" and "School" with that desk. I loved that desk. But so did my sister. When we were both grown and out on our own - we BOTH wanted that desk. My mother maintained custody of the desk and finally decided that to keep us from fighting over it, it would go to the first grandchild. Now, I wanted that desk bad - but not enough to go out and get pregnant just to get custody of it. One year, at Christmas time, I had very little money for gifts. So I decided that for my gift to my sister, I would relinquish custody of the desk and give it to her. I wrote a little poem telling her that money was tight, but the gift I gave her came from my heart. I wrapped that poem up and gave it to her for Christmas that year. Giving up all hopes of ever owning that desk - but knowing, that she wanted it as much as I did. She still has that desk. She has it in her entryway. I have looked at it longingly each time I have visited her - not wanting to take it back, but just cherishing the memories I have of it. I know it is not the SAME desk. I know that it is not the desk my Papa repaired and gave to us as children. But when I look at it, I have those same feelings as the memories come flooding back to my mind. I don't think Chris will ever love the desk, but he knows that I love it and that I will cherish it, so he tolerates it. As soon as I brought it home, I cleaned it up and put it in my entry way. There is nothing inside the desk yet. I am thinking that I need to put some monopoly money it it (in memory of the times we played bank) and maybe some crayons, paper and pencils (in memory of the times we played school). I no longer have my Barbie dolls, my Lite Brite or my Matchbox cars - but I now have a little piece of my childhood memories sitting in my entry way. It may not really be the actual desk of my memories - but it was the desk of some other child's memories and I can look at it and recall my childhood memories. I love that desk!