Erma Bombeck Writing Competition - Winners
2008
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition
Honorable Mention
Human Interest - Dayton
Ashley German
Centerville, Ohio
"Coming Home"
| Most of the buildings are locked in time. The paint’s peeling, the window casings are old, and the lettering covering the facades of most of the stores and buildings are as old as the constructions themselves: Stockmeister’s Building and the Jackson County Court House. Each contains a small picture of what life used to be like in Jackson all those years ago. Everything’s the same and yet everything’s changed. Driving down the brick streets of Jackson’s main thoroughfare, I smile to myself. There are so many memories gathered here—Main Street converted into a whirl of lights, smells, and noise as the Apple Festival rolls into town; the Lions’ Club opening up shop right after Thanksgiving to sell candy for Christmas; or Andrea’s where I got my ears pierced when I was three. I circle the town and mentally point out the houses and scenery I have grown to love over the years. The open porches, the beautiful cut glass doors, the old two-story house my grandparents rented when they were first married, and my great-grandma’s home with the letter M scrolled in the center of the storm door. In passing these, I know that I am closer to those memories that give me the greatest pleasure: my childhood. A couple of streets more and I pass the lane down which my great-aunt lives. Now I’m on the edge of town, and just before crossing that line between town and open country, there’s a huge hill that leads up to a row of comfortable houses. My heart starts pounding as if I were a child again. Finally, I turn into the drive and like clockwork that dark brown garage door goes up, like it has ever since I can remember. As I pull into the garage, I look to the door. The tradition continues. Though my grandpa has passed, my grandma’s still there, waiting for me to cut the engine and jump from the car. A big grin’s on her face and, for a split second, I think that nothing’s ever changed in my life. The greeting’s still the same. The house is still the same. The town is still the same. I’ve come home. |