This story and song are inspired by Peter Manzo and the building of the armoire for his home. Peter told us the story of what he imagined inside the cabinet: during a visit with their granddaughter, Isabelle (Isa), he picked her up to show her a secret compartment that he’d built into the cabinet, hidden just behind a drawer. The decorative cloth bag with surprises in it hung there on a wooden peg for Isa to find when she visited.

The story is about sharing the secret little details of life, which creates closeness between two people—making memories that last a lifetime.

Music

Lyrics

Sawdust powders the floor
Grandpa turns when he hears me slip into the room
Quietly closing the door
Then he smiles as he holds out both of his hands
To lift me up higher
And away the cat dashes

He slips his hand past a drawer
Then releases a latch secretly placed
Hidden where no one can see
With a click and a grin he reaches in
On a peg in the back
Hangs a sack made of velvet

Tied with ribbon
Grandma threaded through
Fabric taken from a dress
Worn by someone long ago

Sewn together
So that it can hold
Three old pictures of
Someone that I know I’ve seen before
Maybe in the mirror

All at once
I see the girl in the picture
Dressed in velvet is my mom

He gives the ribbons a tug
Then replaces the pocket back onto the peg
With a wink he turns to me
Then he brings his finger up to his lips
“I made it for you,
a special secret pocket.”

What fun in what he’s done
Making and sharing with me
Somewhere to keep our memories

Credits

From After All, track released September1, 2008
Cheryl Martlage – Lyrics, vocals and production
Emerson Martlage – Music, guitar, vocals and production
Mr Toad’s San Francisco – Mastering
Inspiration – Peter and Marcia Manzo