I'll soon be leaving my memories of the old brick apartments we lived in---the 5th floor first door on the left--baseball,catching fire flies,throwing rocks at snakes down at the creek,sliding down hills on pieces of cardboard,china berry fights,hiding from salemen and the pretty older girl who wore a majorette outfit with the white boots who practiced on the front landing!
On many weekends we were at my Grandparents house or going up to the country to their weekend retreat in the foothills of the blueridge.
I learned to love the country and wildlife and shopping on Friday nights in Stephens City or Winchester--especially around Christmas time.
Grandad taught me a good work ethic-and I loved earning money and really appreciated the compliments for a job well done.
I have some memories of when I was 2 1/2 years old as well and 3 when dad had his business--servicing semi trucks--my memories like the times were in black and white--big trucks and men in greasy overalls-working on them--and the times they gave me rides in those giant monsters of the roads.
Picture this scene--a heavy snowfall--bright beautiful Christmas lights-cozy picture windows with folks having a delicous dinner in a Rest, toy stores and ice cream shops all a glitter, Christmas music playing somewhere--a salvation army person ringing a bell to get donations--and a wonderful spirit and the feeling of safety and brotherhood--such are my remembrances of the late 40's and early 50's in the Va. countryside.
From this point forward--I will tell of our times in Edgewater Maryland where we lived from 1952 till 1958--P.S I'm still looking for my old childhood friend from the Waldorf apts-- later Yall the Codge

Footsteps on the Stairs

EIGHT,NINE,TEN,the collaboration of creaks moans and breathing as loud as a storm,the shadow of death only seven steps from my room.I was counting up as our lives were counting down.I didn't want to turn my head toward the doorway and look on his hidious face as this grim reaper rose to steps ELEVEN and TWELVE.I was like a rabbit frozen in the headlights,immobile,waiting for the end to come. I thought about my family and my Grandparents so near and yet so far and my 16th birthday I might never see as the DEVIL himself reached stair THIRTEEN.I had to do something but I was suffocating. I tried to form words which were held back by the lump in my throat as the messenger of death reached stair FOURTEEN.The next step was so loud and the breathing seemed so close,I could feel its presence as it neared my room and the FIFTEENTH step wailed and the banister groaned and his hot breath stirred the air. I clenched my fist took in a breath as the creature mounted the SIXTEENTH stair. I SCREAMED at the TOP of my lungs, "gRANDAD-GRANDAD!!"
Immediately whoever or whatever it was bounded down the stairs in 3 strides-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM landing hard on the metal grating,causing an ear shattering noise that ricocheted throughout the house like an explosion,and I heard footsteps run off into the house.
Grandad hollered from his room,"RICKY" what was that"? I said there was someone in the house and they were coming up the stairs.I met Grandmother and Grandad in the hall,Grandad in his night shirt and Grandmother in her Gown, Grandad had is double barreled shotgun and down the stairs we went Grandad then Grandmother than me.
Grandad checked every door window,closet and behind the furniture and then we checked the cellar-all was locked and secure. He told me similar things had happened over the years and had gone unexplained.
I still suspect a prowler cause I didn't think ghost would have to bound down the stairs--but how could a person clear all those steps in three bounds and not fall--in the dark?
The old house is still on Wakefield St. in Arlington--I wonder what the new owners have heard. The end-----Eric the Codger

Footsteps on the Stairs

The next few hours were a learning experience. I read till about 2 a.m. and silently thanked Robert for leaving such treasures. I turned out the light but lay awake thinking about the sexual revelations on those worn pages--it was a pleasant night and the shadows danced on the wall and the aura of the st. light cast it's glow from across the road--------When suddenly I heard a familiar sound at a not so familiar time, FOOTSTEPS down stairs. It sounded like someone walking from the kitchen toward the dining room. The house had been so quiet and I heard every step CLEARLY!!Many things raced through my mind in the next few moments. WE were all upstairs,no one had gone down because I would have heard them. The sudden realization HIT ME and cold chills shuddered through my body,there was a prowler in the house!!I heard steps taken again,the old boards creaked under the strain and the sound seemed to radiate across the floor like ripples on a pond. I was very frightened but fought hard to come up with a safe explanation instead of the more obvious one,I even pinched myself,I was definitely WIDE AWAKE.
I listened intently and heard the slow deliberate steps of an intruder,they were becoming louder and now the infant nightmare rapidly matured and was moving through the dining room toward the hallway below,and the bottom of the stairs.I lay frozen on the bed,afraid or unable to move and my mind raced with questions,"what would I do"? If I cried out would he silence me forever,if I remained silent would he enter our rooms.
The unknown intruder stepped into the hall near the bottom of the stairs and I could hear the linoleum give--under the weight,the floor SIGHED and I almost lost my BREATH!!I had entered the room a cocky self assured 15 year old and was now a frightened young boy staring at the ceiling afraid to move. If there was a cry for help to come from me,it was lodged petrified somewhere in my throat. My.
body was motionless but my mind an explosion of thoughts as I accessed my vulnerable position. My room had no door,and I had no escape,no weapon and I lay unmoving,a sacrifical offering on the bed. The next step the intruder took again sent cold chills through my body and made my HEART SICK,my ears exploded with a vibrating cresendo,as he stepped onto the metal grating at the bottom of the stairs.The ensuing echo reverberated throughout the house,GOD I hoped my Grandparents had heard it but they stirred not from their aged slumber.I've never felt so alone and unprotected as I did on that alter of a bed, just 17 steps away an unknown evil prepared to ascend and my courage plummeted into the abyss of fear!!CREAK the first step wailed,the banister groaned and the unknow specter spawned in hell only 16 steps from my room.
I tried to SCREAM but the words silently left my lips not even causing a stir in the blackness of the room. The SECOND step sounded its mournful song,and the banister groaned and I silently counted TWO,only 15 steps to the top.Slowly,menacingly and methodically he came,trying not to make a sound,but the old house betrayed each step and I searched for the guts to cry out. I silently counted THREE.It seemed like an eternity between the rising steps, I had too much time to think and my anxiety grew. I made feeble attempts to rationalize a non threatening scenario but the fact was that EVIL was coming and he might already have heard my pounding heart. FOUR then FIVE as the staircase protested underfoot and then as if suddenly steadying his climb the WALL MOANED under the unknowns pressure. Stories my Grandad used to tell came flooding back,of footsteps in the halls and moans from the attic. I wish I hadn't remembered because my fear increased. I had to do something to help us but still lay frozen in fear.Steps SIX and SEVEN thundered their arrival and a new sound bristled my hair and turned my blood to ice,tears welled in my eyes and FROZE on my face,the sound of heavy labored breathing now accompanied each step.

Footsteps on the Stairs

The large RCA radio still worked. It stood 4 1/2 feet tall and many a night I lay on the carpet beneath its pale yellow dial and listened to the radio broadcast " The Shadow Knows" and one night listened in horror as the execution of the Rosenburgs was broadcast--that was the first time I heard about execution treason and the death sentence.
I moved into the living room where I loved to relax on the soft comfortable furniture. It was in that room that I viewed my first color T.V,the Friday Night Fights and my Grandparents favorite,the Lawrence Welk Show. I felt comfortable in the old house-even the sweet smell of Grand dads pipe tobacco lingered in the air--it had been a long day--time to go to bed--I crossed from the living room into the hall and stood upon the large metal grating at the bottom of the stairs,it made its familiar vibrating sound that carried through the house. The grating was actually the vent for the huge coal furnace in the cellar below---and there looming before me the ascending 17 steps --the pathway into the darkness--the very steps us grandkids had learned to count on.
Each step made a distinctive creaking sound and the old shaky bannister had a sound of its own and if you steadied yourself against the wall to the right it made a moaning sound.The unique sounds were both familiar and comforting. I ascended the stairs to the top and found myself counting from 1 to 17,old habits were hard to break.
I turned on the light to Roberts room and it still looked as I rememberd it--there was no entry door and my friend the sailfish was gone, having found a new home above the mantle at the home in country.
The big dark walk in closet didn't look as big anymore--and to show how I had grown I walked right into it and pulled the light string--no monsters grabbed me.
I began to empty my suitcase into the chest of drawers beside the bed and made an exciteing discovery--My Uncle had left this young teenager a couple of treasures,paperbacks---Peyton Place and Lady Chaterly's Lover--oh my the heavens had smiled on me--I began reading and what I read made this a very special evening in deed and spurred in me the most amazing feelings--believe me those books had my undivided attention.

Morning all---just a few thoughts about the Waldorf apts in Arlington where I spent four years from age 3 till 7--
We had ice cold milk delivered to our front door--I guess ya better be home or it would be cottage cheese--
Pity the poor salesman coming to that complex--there was some kind of warning system--at this apt--this beehive of activity--would suddenly become deafly quiet--what no one home--we were all taught to be silent and maybe the guy would go away----EXCEPT--THE FULLER BRUSH MAN--oh my god he was given the red carpet treatment--ya know why? Cause he gave the ladies freebies---whoa there--not that kind of freebie--free combs-and kitchen gadgets--everyone loved the Fuller Brush Man.
For all yall that are now used to going to the doctor--where they herd you in--put about 6 in little rooms and the doc makes little 2 minute stops and then they herd in the next 6---not so back in my old days--the 40's and at least my early 50's---the doctors came right to your house---you heard right----to your house--you didn't even have to get outta bed---now how's that for service.
That's it for the morning post--as they say---gotta make hay while the sunshines-----The Codger