a library under the stairs

when I was in 4th grade I finally got my own room

I painted the walls sky blue and I had a closet under the stairs

I decided I would put all of my books and wares in the corner of the closet

I taped an index card to the wall that read, “Patricia L Irwin Library’

after my grandmother who passed away 30 years before my birth

I took a measuring tape and marked up the walls with a mechanical pencil

I scribbled down my 10 year-old measurements on a piece of wide-ruled paper

I asked my grandpa if we could build a shelf for all of my books

this was when I was going to be a veterinary, most of my books revolved around dogs and horses

I remember the day my grandpa and I built that shelf

I loved watching him use the tools in his workshop

I was quite proud to have designed my own shelf to fit the angle of the stairs perfectly

I put blue zebra contact paper all over that shelf and loaded it up with my stories

I recall it swaying slightly from the weight of all of my books

these days my grandpa isn’t doing so well

we talk about our family history, his time serving in the army

on family vacation this past summer I went thrifting with my grandma

I found the feminine version of the watch my grandpa has always worn

it’s a two-toned Seiko with a broken battery

every time I talk to my grandpa on the phone I tell him what I have learned about the world while wearing the watch

grandparents are so sweet!