Emily and Victoria were the only girls in their family of 5 children. They are standing in front of the house their maternal Granddaddy, Floyd, built with his hands and the hands of his brothers and their sons. Floyd chose the wood himself, oversaw each and every building detail, and had an entire hand on every plank of wood.
The girls loved the house and everything around the house. The way the brick walkway was like a maze that lead to the back and the long winding road that welcomed visitors. They liked to play under the house in the back where they could fit when they were little. They loved to pull each other in a wagon Granddaddy made for them on the porch. They loved the sounds the floors made when people walked.
The girls spent hours running in and out of the two front doors. The door to the left entered into the parlor. The entrance to the parlor was built specifically so men, who used the parlor frequently, could sneak in and out to smoke cigars on the porch. The door facing the steps was the official front door and there were exactly 64 steps between the official front door and the back door, unless it was 43. It all depended on if the girls were running, skipping or walking little quiet baby steps so they could sneak up on their Mama.
The house had a 2nd story and the steps started to the right as you entered the official front door. The girls used to count the steps; the wide, loud steps. Trying to match the rhyme they counted the steps. There were 2 sets of 20 with a landing. The landing always served as a resting stop while the girls caught their breath through their giggles, then they would go again..
- One, two,
- Buckle my shoe;
- Three, four,
- Knock at the door;
- Five, six,
- Pick up sticks;
- Seven, eight,
- Lay them straight:
- Nine, ten,
- A big fat hen;
- Eleven, twelve,
- Dig and delve;
- Thirteen, fourteen,
- Maids a-courting;
- Fifteen, sixteen,
- Maids in the kitchen;
- Seventeen, eighteen,
- Maids a-waiting
- Nineteen, twenty,
- My plate’s empty.
- They would always add their own little rhyme like Granddaddy taught them when they hit the landing or the top…
- Twenty-one, twenty-two,
- I love you!
- Written by Julia Roberts, Kidneys and Eyes
