Memories by Marty

Eleven Eleven My grandparents lived by a digital clock that sat upon their television in the living room. It had a large display, black background, and red digits. And it was always seven to nine minutes fast. They owned their own janitorial service from the late 1960s until they retired in mid-1990s. When 5 o’clock came around, as the day was winding down for most of us, my grandmother donned a blue button down shirt and dark pants and grandfather put on his boots and hat to start the workday. I can recall them going out the door many times when we were visiting. They never missed a day of work or took a vacation. While they were away, my mother and I would go out for burgers or pizza, drive around town, or stay in and watch TV. Sometimes we would visit my grandparents at the banks or offices where they were working. I remember Papa putting dimes in a metal pop machine to get Sprite or RC Cola in glass bottles for us at Citizen’s State Bank. I remember going into the pitch black darkrooms at the Nevada Daily Mail or the strong scent of newsprint and ink from the presses. The office buildings smelled of smoke. Brass nameplates were the only indication of who occupied the seats. There were no computers on desks; if they had one, it was in a room by itself.

When their work was done, around 10:45 or 11, they packed the Kirby vacuum cleaners, buckets, and mops back into their Blue Chevy Suburban to come home. We would usually be sitting in a dark living room watching reruns of “The Twilight Zone” or “Lost in Space” on Channel 41. They would come in through the old wooden front door with a skeleton key. After saying hello, my grandmother would be off to shower then take her place on the couch to relax. For my grandfather, it was time to make dinner and prepare a feast in the living room before stretching out on the floor in front of the TV to watch Johnny Carson. But when the clock said 11:11, my grandmother would always say “make a wish.” I have always wondered what she wished for. Photo: ‘On the oven’ by toastforbrekkie