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Expectations sometimes result in restless spinning.
When I was a kid, we’d visit my grandfather on Sundays. His house, at the edge of town, was clad in pink aluminum with dusty white trim. Dad would knock on the screen door and we’d hear Grandpa’s feet shuffling nearer.
Once inside, I’d head straight to the kitchen for a 7 Up. On a counter between the Hotpoint stove and the round-shouldered fridge was an antique mantle clock that ticked loudly. I thought that except for our visits its hypnotic ticking was probably the only sound in the house.
Peering through the stenciled glass of the clock’s door, I watched the pendulum swing back and forth. Just before the chimes rang, the wheels would groan. I watched the mainspring slowly unwind, releasing its pent-up energy and relaxing a bit with each pendulum swing.
Grandpa would come into the kitchen, take the clock key from the ledge, open the stenciled door, and slide the key in the slot. After a few measured turns, he’d close the door and shuffle back to the living room, without a word to me. After he’d gone, I’d look inside and see the mainspring wound tight again, and hear the steady ticking echo throughout the house.
Reflecting on these memories and my fascination with the mantle clock, I wonder if Grandpa ever looked inside and watched the mainspring unwind. I wonder if he ever let the spring release, relaxing and expanding completely. Or did he keep the clock wound to avoid an uncomfortable silence.
You may also want to visit our other websites:
Unwind Music Video
Unwind (Behind the Scenes) Video
Uncommon Promise Video Channel
Under the Tuscan Thumb Blog
The UP Side Lowdown by Cheryl
Once inside, I’d head straight to the kitchen for a 7 Up. On a counter between the Hotpoint stove and the round-shouldered fridge was an antique mantle clock that ticked loudly. I thought that except for our visits its hypnotic ticking was probably the only sound in the house.
Just unwind
Peering through the stenciled glass of the clock’s door, I watched the pendulum swing back and forth. Just before the chimes rang, the wheels would groan. I watched the mainspring slowly unwind, releasing its pent-up energy and relaxing a bit with each pendulum swing.
Grandpa would come into the kitchen, take the clock key from the ledge, open the stenciled door, and slide the key in the slot. After a few measured turns, he’d close the door and shuffle back to the living room, without a word to me. After he’d gone, I’d look inside and see the mainspring wound tight again, and hear the steady ticking echo throughout the house.
Reflecting on these memories and my fascination with the mantle clock, I wonder if Grandpa ever looked inside and watched the mainspring unwind. I wonder if he ever let the spring release, relaxing and expanding completely. Or did he keep the clock wound to avoid an uncomfortable silence.
You may also want to visit our other websites:
Unwind Music Video
Unwind (Behind the Scenes) Video
Uncommon Promise Video Channel
Under the Tuscan Thumb Blog
The UP Side Lowdown by Cheryl
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