Tuesday, August 1, 2006

THE CHA CHA CHA

Music has always been an important part of my life. I have the radio or stereo on  in my home most of the time. A house without music is too quiet for me.

A song came floating through the house this morning and made me remember 1805 St. Charles Court. It made me remember cleaning off the table and doing the dishes on a summer night when we were girls.

When we were girls, I signed up for dancing lessons at Harrisson Park. It was a community park close to our house.

The lessons were free and the lasted for four weeks. We learned how to dance the waltz and the cha cha.

After learning the dances, we decided that the Cha-Cha was the best dance to dance while cleaning off the table after supper was over.

It was also the best dance to do while washing and drying the dishes and putting them away.

Peggy would pick up a dish from the table on 1. Set it by the sink on 2 and cha-cha back to the table for another dish.

I would wash a dish on 1, rinse it on 2 and Cha,cha, cha to put the dish in the wire drain on the sink.

It took us a long time to clean the kitchen on those hot summer nights in Birmingham but it was a lot of fun for both of us.

Now, we are doing a different kind of dance.

Peggy is doing the cha cha with another partner but there is no laughter, no excitement, no fun.

She will continue to do this dance until the music stops.

I would love to have the power to go back to 1805 St.Charles Court. To a hot summer night when the cha cha blared from the radio and Peggy and I were dancing the cha cha while  doing the dishes.

How quickly the music faded from Peggy's life

Now, when a song comes on the radio with a cha cha beat, I stop what I am doing and cha cha for both of us.

 I miss dancing the cha cha in the kitchen of 1805 St. Charles Court.

If it is true that memories and sounds of the past residents stay in the walls of a house......

 On a hot  summer night, who ever is living in our house on St. Charles Court will swear that they hear the strains of the cha cha while sitting in the kitchen.

They just can't figure out where the music is coming from....

But I know.

I Love You Today, Peggy...Cha, Cha, Cha!

Mary Louise

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a lovely entry...   I can just imagine the happiness within those walls on St Charles St... if those walls could only talk..

Blessings, MaryLouise..

Jackie

Anonymous said...

I may have to venture out and visit 1805 Charles Court....  to see if they are dancing to the sounds of your happiness!

=)
Love,
Wendy

Anonymous said...

I remember back when I was a little girl.  I would visit with Grandma over night.  She would always have this radio on in her kitchen.  It would be tuned to play Sinatra, Dean Martin, and others from that era.  I used to love listening to it and listening to my grandma tell me stories about when she was little.  Now when I hear the music I think about Grandma and the stories she would tell.  Thanks for making me remember, Mary Louise.  The image of the owners of the home on St. Charles Court hearing the strains of the cha cha is priceless.  
Big hugs,
Gina
http://journals.aol.com/motoxmom72/GinasWeigtLossJourney  

Anonymous said...

I am so glad that you have, and shared, these memories, and that Peggy is part of them. I will now think of both of you when I hear a cha-cha-cha! Thanks, Margo

Anonymous said...

Hi MaryLouise,
I wanted to say, I truly can relate to you.  My sister also has Pick's disease.  She was diagnosed last year.  I understand the meaning of the phrase, "My heart hurts".  Everytime I am with her, my heart hurts for her.  She is not capable of understanding what is happening to her so I feel for her.  I would love to have written a book or something about my sister's illness but I was not given the talent of writing so I keep these memories in my mind.  God bless you for the valuable words you have written in honor of your sister.  GrnnyAngl