Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
By Bill Stokes
Kickass, the doorstop dog, stays out of the way as the keeper stumbles around the Vista West woodworking shop in the process of making shelves to hold some of the treasures from his lengthy past, which, in Phyllis’s estimation, has produced more mementos than seems possible.
As he invariably measures and cuts in characteristic miscalculation, the keeper is reminded of his dear old mother who, in helping the keeper’s father prepare for his big Alaska Highway work adventure by altering a new pair of heavy woolen pants, shortened the same leg twice.
This was a calamity of no small proportions, devastating and humiliating Mom when Aunt Hulda was called in to save the day by saving the pants.
Some goof-ups over time become family jokes, the one-pant-leg-shortened-twice never did: the memory was too painful and embarrassing for mom; and the keeper apologizes for bringing it up now; but he has such a clear childhood recollection of the scene with Dad in the background and a tearful Mom hovering over Aunt Hulda at the sewing machine.
When his bookshelf is in place, the keeper, with Phyllis’s approval, will use it to display a photo of his Dad working on the Alcan Highway while wearing those altered woolen pants, and another photo of Mom as a beautiful young woman.
