Virtute.org

We loved to play outside at Grandma’s house. In front of her house just under the windows was a flowering tree that had these leaves that would turn brown and curl up in the fall. We used to pretend they were tacos and fill them with dirt (beef). Grandma also had these plants in the back yard at the far end that had really big leaves. We’d either pretend they were salad or put the tacos on top of a leaf (thus using the leaf as a garnish). I remember the ivy that was climbing up the yard and the big tree in front of the house. I think Lee put one of Barbara’s bras up in that tree from the upstairs apartment once and I remember having a hard time figuring out how we could retrieve the bra. There were steps leading up to the building and the steps had brick and concrete platforms next to them that we regularly used as a bench or a table.  

We spent most of our time in the back yard. At the end of the yard there was a pile of stuff that I thought resembled a stove. I can’t even remember what the stuff was to describe it, but it was our favorite place in the yard to play. It was surrounded by a variety of vegetation that were overgrown. There was a small trail leading through the vegetation that led to some big garages on someone else’s property. I think I remember being told not to go back there anymore.

 
Across the street from Grandma’s house was a big apartment complex. I think Lee once met a kid who lived there, but Grandma didn’t want him to hang out with that kid. I think she said something about there being drugs in that apartment.

The upstairs  apartment in Grandma’s house was small. It had a small kitchen just inside the door. There was at least one bedroom and a fairly large livingroom. I remember a big closet with a long mirror and a fire escape ladder in the closet. I remember sleeping up there when it was vacant and playing card games on the table in the kitchen. It was exciting to be up there. It was like our own little apartment. Ironically I can’t remember the bathroom up there or exactly what the layout was like. I remember it had a very distinctive smell, or at least the closet did, it was a warm humid smell, like a steam room or a ceader chest (yes, I know it’s a weird description of the smell, I’m trying to remember from probably 20 years ago). I remember when our Lithuanian relatives came to visit they stayed up there. I remember them opening their suitcases and giving us little Lithuanian gifts, mostly leather things that smelled like fish.