The Trunk

(part 1 of 13)

"Anna watcha doing up here in the dusty old attic

and why are you wearing Grandpas ratty old hat?

Anna, the funerals over, the lawyer gone and people arguing

downstairs about what they got or did not get...vultures."

'Hey, Linda, they are laughing at me because all I got was the trunk!

It's all I ever wanted anyway 'cause it's full of good memories."

"Wearing the hat because it's a memory of Grandpa and

everything he taught me over the years...

wish I could have gotten his fishing pole too."

The trunk had been sealed shut until Anna got the key from the lawyer

but none of the other relatives even wanted to trek up to the dusty old attic

all they ever wanted was the money old Grannie Moon left in her will.

They were all vultures that was the truth for sure.

Grannie Moon had set her will up ten years before and she had a very good lawyer, Jack, who helped her yearly with the updating.

Jack had been a friend to Grannie for many years and she trusted him to carry

out her last wishes exactly the way she dictated. He did just that and would never send her a bill.

Jack had loved Grannie Moon all his life. She loved him like a grandson also.

As a child Jack was very poor as his father had died when he was only ten years old. His mother was left with a large house, very little money and three children to raise. His mother did house cleaning and other odd jobs and took in female borders to help make ends meet each month.

Jack was the oldest and he helped early in the morning by delivering newspapers and after school doing odd jobs. Once he told his mother he would quit school and get a full time job to help her out but she would have non of that.

"Your father wanted you to become a lawyer and that you will do young man."

So life went on and Grannie moon made sure that Jack and his mother, Mable, would get lots of jobs from her. She also had Jack help her plant a large garden that was really too much for her and Grandpa.

Jack's mother knew what Grannie were doing the whole time, making sure she and her children had lots of food to tide them over in the winter. Grannie canned the "extras" and sent them home with Jack or Mable and Grandpa always seemed to have too many fish and too much deer meat so that went with them also.

Over the years jack excelled in his studies and went on to college and law school.

He got scholarships and there was always an anonymous person that helped him with the books and other essentials. Later on in life he found out it was Grannie helping him through his studies. He adored her even more for this help. Once he tried to repay her but she told him to pass it on to some other deserving student and that was something he did do each year.

Linda asked: " Anna may I ask what else was in the envelope with the key?"

" I think it was some pictures but I did not look at them yet...just wanted the key to the trunk." Anna nostalgically replied.

Anna finally opened the big envelope and her eyes scanned the pictures lovingly and then

her mouth flew open and a large gasp was heard by Linda.