The antiques and the collector

Antiques. My favorite thing in the world. Antiques are my way of connecting with history, the richness it beholds, the secrets that can be told. But in my town, the history runs short. Where everyone knows everyone, the things they value, no longer hold meaning, and most times they end up here.

The John Williams Antique store. Their grandfather owned it, now Veronica and Ricky do.

“So . . . dusty, has no one cleaned here since Grandfather passed?” Veronica complained.

“It sure doesn’t look like it,” Ricky murmured.

“Oh, come on, what is this junk really worth?” Veronica rhetorically asked.

“Yeah, because they tell a story,” Ricky replied.

“Of what? Death, depression, sadness?” Veronica spoke sarcastically once more

“No, family,” Ricky spoke.

“Ugh,” Veronica rolled her eyes, fed up with her twin brother.

Veronica strolled around the Antique store looking at all the antique junk on the shelves. Sighing Ricky started to clean out boxes from behind the counter.

Veronicas’ POV:

Rummaging through the items on the shelves I coughed as dust floated down my throat, my eyes flashed across an empty space but when my eyes grazed back, I spotted a little black book sitting on the shelf.

What is this? I thought picking up the book from the shelf, I looked around to see that Ricky still had his back to me and was still unpacking boxes. I opened my bag and slipped the book behind my laptop, I headed back around to the front to help begin unpacking the boxes that were still closed. I wonder if the black book was Grandfathers. Did he write anything about this in his will?

“Hey Ricky?”

“Yeah?”

“Did Grandfather leave us anything in his will? At all?”

“No…? Well at least I don’t think so”.

“Oh, okay”

“Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know, I was curious, I guess.”

“Since when have you been curious about our Grandfather?”

“Hey! I may act like I didn’t love him, but I did deep down.”

“Sure, you did” Ricky rolled his eyes at me.

“Look let’s just get this place cleaned up so we can leave.”

Hours pass and Ricky and I miraculously cleaned the antique store to a decent standard. Feeling contempt, I sat down at the counter still thinking about the black book. I was so deep in thought that I didn’t notice Ricky yelling at me till he threw a bronze medal at my face.

“Ow!” I groaned in pain as I rubbed my face.

“Well, I had to get your attention somehow!”

“A shoulder shake would’ve been fine!”

“I’ll remember that for next time. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted some Chinese food?”

“Uh…that sounds good.” I spoke, smiling towards Ricky as he walked out the door.

“Alright, I’ll be back in half an hour. Don’t steal anything!”

‘How could I steal something from a store that we own!” I yelled back, shaking my head.

As I saw Ricky fade off in the distance, I opened my laptop bag and grabbed out the small black book.

“this smells like what sewage would have been in the 1830’s”

Still curious despite the smell I opened the book to the first page only to see a signature so recognizable my jaw dropped, shocked.

“Oh, my goodness! Grandfather had a journal!”

I felt so excited, erratic to find that this was his, that he didn’t just leave an antique store. Frantically I flipped to the next page. Sitting down back on the seat I read his first entry

05/02/1950

Dear Journal,

Today I start documenting my life. I thought about it for a while, leaving a memoir behind so that future generations can understand what life was like for me, how precious it was, how amazing it could be. Obviously, I didn’t feel it was necessary, and thought that only women could write but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to do this. So here we go, my first entry. Let’s see where this takes us

Yours Truly,

John Williams

Intrigued by what he did with his journal I continued to flip through it, when I came across another page and it made my heart melt.

23/07/1953

Dear Journal,

Life has a funny way of working itself out. It’s a special feeling that only those with a true passion for what they love can feel. I feel as if that’s happened for myself. You see, I’ve met the love of my life. After years of feeling hopeless, feeling as if nothing would go right, there she was. Jet black waist length hair tied up in a low ponytail, Glasses that sat just right on her rectangular face reading Shakespeare. Never thought that it could happen. I guess if you believe hard enough it will.

Yours truly,

John Williams

‘Huh, I wonder what else he did. I mean mother did always say that he loved history, that he loved life. Must’ve been where Ricky got his love for this lifestyle’ I thought as I ventured further into his Journal.

04/11/1953

Dear Journal,

After years of hard work, I have finally accomplished another dream. The John Williams Antique store. History has always been important to me. That’s why I have this journal, why I’ve opened this store. Preserving memories that’ll last forever, sharing it with those who appreciate memories, who appreciate history, that’s another special anomaly. Hope my future family agrees too.

Yours Truly,

John Williams

Realization hit my face as I read his journal entry about this store. I always thought of it as tacky, but this was my connection to him, to my family and this town. I never assumed that something so small could mean so much. But it means so much more than that. Ricky was right, they tell a story. Still curious, I hoped to find out more about him, so I continued.

12/04/1985

Dear Journal,

I have now accomplished another milestone in my life. I have become a grandfather. My princess, Dorothy gave birth to two beautiful babies. Veronica and Ricky. I can only imagine what their lives will be. Their mother to guide them like I did to her, to support them as I once did.

My dear grandchildren, I will not only give you the love and support I gave your mother, but I will be there to spoil you and show you life like you never saw. To make a mark on history like I have

Yours truly,

John Williams (Father and Now Grandfather)

Without noticing tears slowly made their way down my face, dripping onto the table. My heart became heavy. For so long I always despised my grandfather, my brother, and my mother. I despised how easy life was on them, that they were able to find something they loved. I had struggled to make it through high school, let alone making it through life to find a passion. In reality I was ignorant and stubborn, stubborn to not realize that if I had taken a moment to stop and appreciate what I had; it would come easier to me. Like it did for them.

Not a moment later, Ricky came busting through the door panting while simultaneously yelling like a maniac

“IT TOOK ME A WHILE BUT I GOT THE FOOD!” He said, slamming the food on the table. I raised an eyebrow at him, confused I asked

“Okay…so why did you run in like that?” finally catching his breath, he replied

“I didn’t want you to wait that long” Shrugging while pulling out the food.

“I don’t get you sometimes” I said chuckling at Ricky.

The next day:

After having dinner at the antique store last night, I went home and crashed. Waking up, I rubbed my eyes, seeing the sunshine brightly through the curtains. I sat up, stretched, and looked to my left seeing that I left Grandfather’s book on my side table. I opened it up again to read more. It was his last entry. Saddened I thought about not reading it, but I had come this far so I went ahead.

08/03/2001

Dear Journal,

My Journey through this world is coming to an end. Sixty-seven years filled with love, happiness and following my dreams. I’ve lived a great life with no regrets whatsoever. I hope when I do leave that those around me will not mourn rather celebrate the memories we had. Celebrate each other and be there for one another. If they do mourn, please rest assure and read this journal entry. My daughter, I pray you get better, that you can live longer and live for your children, they need you. And my grandchildren, as you go through life, remember this. This quote which helped me find my path, my journey.

It reads “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”.

Yours Truly,

John Williams.

I slammed the book down on my bed, frustrated at myself. After reading his life, knowing what he did, what he went through, I treated him as if he was nothing. I didn’t appreciate him as much as Ricky did. I was too late.

Running my hands over my face and through my hair, I look down to see a white envelope labeled To Veronica and Ricky. Curious I grabbed it, feeling, and realizing it was a stack of cash. Quickly I opened it to see $20 000. Shocked I dropped it and continued looking, finding a note along with the money

‘Grandad left this for us?’ I thought.

Veronica and Ricky,

I hope this finds you well. You see this place; my antiques store is more than what it seemed. It brought people together in a way that others could never. These objects tell a story of love, family, and happiness. Now my dearest, this book, this money is just that. A way to help you continue your story of love, family, and happiness. Please take care of this store, take care of each other. I love you eternally.

Yours truly,

Grandfather John.

Tears once more ran down my face out of joy. It’s like he knew that I would one day read this, that we needed the money. He knew that mum needed money to help her get through treatment, and now she will.

Smiling I ran out into the lounge, note and money in hand. Yelling at Ricky I said

“RICKY. I-LOOK, GRANDFATHER. HE-HE LEFT US THIS!” Shocked, Ricky ran over and grabbed the note and cash, reading the note, his mouth was agape.

“h-how, how did you find this?” He asked while crying

“Well yesterday, when I was cleaning the shelves, I found a black book, it was his.” I smiled, as more tears filled my waterline.

“We can finally help mum! Ronnie, we can help mum!” Ricky looked at me, he couldn’t stop crying. We hugged each other.

Running to our separate rooms to get ready and go to the hospital, I decided to continue writing in his journal. After learning so much I couldn’t bear to let it go, let his memories fade away.

26/02/2003

To Ricky, mum and most importantly Grandfather. This is for you. I realized that through reading your work, your memories, your memoir were important in helping figure out what I had done wrong for most of my life. I believed for so long that this wasn’t the path for me, that I needed to find something else to prove that I was worthy, I was wrong. I’m ready to correct it and ready to take on this store with the passion that you once had. I promise that whatever happens, I will continue to love like you did, to love life like you did, to appreciate history like you did. I promise that this will continue for more generations.

I love you all.

Yours Truly,

Veronica Williams