Seven years ago I brought my trunk home from the school shop. It was so large I could fit inside it. (yes, it is a fun game!) It had classic metal locks and a dark green finish.
Together my Dad and I sat down and painted my name across it in large wobbly gold letters. As my Mum got through the mountain of name tapes I sat down and wrote out my kit list, sticking it to the inside of the lid in case we forgot anything.
We then started to fill it. Fill it with the regulation number of shirts and skirts, shoes and games kit. Books were piled in along with things that might be needed to help a small person far away from home.
Over the years that trunk has been unpacked and packed numerous times. It has been heaved up stairs and dropped on toes. It has had serious arguments over, namely as to how I can possibly take so many clothes and do I really need them all. It has been forced closed on more than one occassion.
All those memories came back in a flood when I opened it again last night. The same trunk smell and the same kit list remain. There was the typical mulch in the bottom; old posters, pens and secret notes.
For the last time it will be filled to be taken home, The duvet will be popped in the top on the last day of term and the treasures and momentos of my last year at school will be placed around it.
And at the bottom of the trunk is a stack of letters, neatly adressed. Letters from my Mum to me. Letters spanning those seven years. Letters to her small person far away. A small person who for the last time is coming home from school.
Thanks for stopping by.
Loves xxxx
10 comments:
Such a lovely story to share Abi, both sad and happy!
Great story, lovely nostalgia.
And I love the blog header.
this will make a brilliant scrapbook LO abi. i can imagine u packing as i write and all the memories of life in boarding school. i have many mixed memories of school but never had to pack anything like u do for the trip, just a rucksack for the trip there every day.
i am sure the trunk will be used for uni when u go and a new series of memories will begin, safe trip home,
jo xxxx
Such a poignant post,Abi...and agree with Jo about the LO.
*Sniff....* Made me cry a bit... Jacky is right, it's a very poignant little story.
If The Past really is Another Country, then that Small Person is left far away in a distant land, with her new trunk and little school shirts, skirts etc.... But then the Same Small Person is a Big Person now and the trunk still remains, along with all those memories.
Write them down & keep them safe - something to tell your own "small people" one day, perhaps?
Have a safe journey home tomorrow. I'm sure you'll have very mixed feelings about this particular end of term - it marks the start of the new Journey, called "The Rest of Your Life"!
God Bless you! xx
Oh my goodness, what stories that trunk could tell! You're about to embark on the next chapter of your life story, how exciting, grab every opportunity and make the most of every minute. Oh, and good luck with the exam results!
In addition to being a brilliant photographer, you are a beautiful writer. Love today's post.
Rinda
Kind of sad, kind of happy; but very lovely.
After 25 years my truck still has the same smell, don't think it ever goes away. My list even had regulation knickers on it, yes we had blue underwear to wear and this was in the 80's. My trunk is now in the garage as a storage place, I could never part with it, too many memories me thinks
Great little story
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