'Boots'

part 2

Gordon Reynolds

And a change further on. Here lie the heavy and serviceable, battle scarred from many a night encounter.

Even now they jump to the fire siren and instantly expect the warmth of sleepy feet. Their service started long ago when fire water had to be pumped from the nearest stream with a recalcitrant steam pump.

The engineer alone could make it work and thenceforth this volunteer service had a new recruit. Later the steam pumps were obviated by proper water supplies, fire engines became reliable in bright painted red, but the service was dedicated and ultimately Deputy Chief was written with pride about those boots. But now the shelf recurves to the wall, one last pair sit unworn.

A flower adorns, a tribute of the crowds whose praise noised around. It lasted a while and then quieted in the hum of new life. Who now remembers this row of old boots on an unknown shelf?

Tomorrow we'll give them to the Sallies.

© Gordon Reynolds

BOOTS Boots, yes black boots... Part 2.

Continued..
And hard by the next are threadbare, worn. Is this pair that strode to the Bank outwardly confident and business-like, that had such clear vision of what might be.

House documents are in hand. They will be put on the line, mortgaged to buy a scow to run coastwise. It is depression time when to have one coin is a fortune, two is untold wealth. Soon these boots will stand continuous days and nights working on stopped engines.

Disaster, total financial diaster is imminent. Then at the darkest hour, the midnight of gloom, a sooty chortle of diesel shatters the quiet and all is saved, the house is saved.

Then years pass to wartime and bring cargoes of sand for glass; a post war boom and an economy shining with unexpected brilliance and newly shone the boots then march into the board room chair and at Lodge they look up to their new Grand Master.

But a softer set lie alongside. These are the ones the elderly, the widows saw as they received this and that for their table, that various in dire straights saw, that offered help, hospitality to the desperate and saw such things that few knew and fewer spoke.