The Unsat Chair

I spent lots of summers on my grandparent's farm when I was growing up. There was one thing that was always undisturbed. It was a sky blue chair that sat right in front of the storage house on the property. All of the grand children called it 'the unsat chair.' As long as I can remember, no one ever got away with sitting in it. If one dared to place their bottom in it, they would immediately be reprimanded. Grandma Clara made sure that the chair had due respect. As time passed, the chair was never revitalized. The vibrant blue color slowly peeled off. The lavender colored background slowly begun to shed over time. This story will tell you why the chair had been set aside for years.

I am Lois; My mother grew up on this farm in a rural area in a small city. The farm had originally belonged to my African American ancestors_ my mother's maternal grandparents, my great grandparents. When grandpa Horace and grandma Clara got married, they moved in with my great grand parents. My Mom often spoke of the fond memories that she had from her life on the farm. Some of the things that she told me are outlined in the next few paragraphs.

My mom, Gracie, was the youngest of eight children born to Grandpa Horace and Grandma Clara. She loved to tell us about the good ole days on 'Farm Wynn.' Wynn was the name given to the farm years and years ago by her grandparents. Mom said that 'Wynn' was one of her mother's family surnames. The house itself was a big house with a long porch. Grandma Clara kept pretty colored flowers planted down in front of the porch, from one end to the other. There was a swing on the porch which had endured mom's and my childhood. The house itself was unpainted on the outside and the planks gracefully darkened over time. Big trees waved over the eight acres of land that surrounded the home. Chickens, dogs, cotton fields, pigs, horses, vineyards, gardens and dirt roads made up the farm portrait.

Grandma often told us stories about how life was hard and different during her childhood. She spoke about not being able to attend school much due to having to stay home and help work on the farm. She said that the few times that she did manage to go to school, they had to walk three miles a day to get to school. As a result of not being able to go to school regularly, she reached the fifth grade level before completely dropping out. Grandma could read reasonably well. She would read to the grands when they were little. My mother told me the story about the 'unsat' chair. Why was it so special to grandma Clara?

My mother said that this faded blue chair by the storage was an important component of Grandma Clara's past. How did the chair come to be? Grandpa Horace built the chair especially for Grandma Clara. He was good with his hands. Grandpa Horace's hands picked many bales of cotton. He used his hands to feed many animals and to milk many cows. His hands were very important in providing for his family. He especially loved to construct things. The blue chair was built as a surprise wedding anniversary gift for Grandma Clara. He painted it blue to match the blue dress that she got married in years prior. Grandma Clara loved the chair!

Grandpa Horace passed when my mother was eighteen. He was found dead in the blue chair. According to grandmother Clara, He had sat down in the chair for a short nap. He would periodically stop in the midst of a chore and take a nap. The hoe that he was using to dig in the vegetable garden was found right by the blue chair. His cap was still in his lap. The family dog Al was barking loudly in an effort to disturb Grandpa Horace. Grandma Clara rushed out to where he was and shook him. He remained undisturbed. She screamed and dropped to her knees.

At that time, Grandma and grandpa had been married for thirty years. They had gotten married when he was 30 and she was 28. All the other children had gotten married and started their families. Mom, was still at home.

Mom married dad when she was 21. Dad lived on a nearby farm and the families knew each other. When my parents married, they moved to a big city. They became city slickers, a term used to refer to people who lived in the city. Mom and Dad sent my siblings and I to grandma Clara's for three weeks each summer up until I reached age thirteen. My parents said that we need to get some good clean air in our nostrils. But I think the real reason that we were sent to the farm was to keep grandma company although one of my aunts and her husband and their two children lived down the road on an acre of the land. Grandma Clara had hired help to help her maintain the farm. We became little helpers too! We loved to run, rip and play all over the place. The 'unsat chair' was always in our view.

Before we discovered the history behind the blue chair that was in front of the lavender storage building, we would be tempted to sat in it, There were times that I wanted to sit in it and read a book. All of the children had to learn to stay clear. Grandma was always saying, Stay away from the blue chair; It is an antique, No one sits in it!" I remember one time my younger sister crawled up in the chair and Grandma ran and quickly removed her. We did not know what to think. At that time, I thought maybe, it had poison on it. Finally, Grandma Clara told us that the chair was very dear to her and that she loved it like a grandchild. She said that It was a special gift given to her by our grandfather Horace and that she treasures it so much. She said, "I do not sit in this blue chair because I want to keep it as long as possible." The chair was getting old and needed a plank or two but grandma wanted to keep it in the best shape by not putting any extra weight on it. She wanted to preserve the memories.

Years passed. Grandma Clara left us and joined Grandpa Horace. When I had been married for fifteen years, I took my daughter to visit the farm. We spotted the chair with new planks and new blue paint. I sat down in the "unsat.' chair. I said out loud, "Grandma Clara, Here I am in your chair. It feels good!"

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