Jenni

Significant Object Story Submission: The Red Thermos
by Jenni Keller
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Dehlia reached high over her head to tug on the loop at the end of the knotted kite-string cord at the bottom of the attic steps. The bare bulb illuminated slight footprints going both up and down the center of the staircase and thick dust clumps in every corner of each step that didn’t really resemble dust-bunnies at all she thought; more like desiccated carcasses of what she wasn’t quite sure. She curled her lip in a sneer of disgust, grabbed the railing and pulled herself slowly up the stairs.
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What had she come up here for? She had needed to get something from the attic; now what was it? She paused for a moment with her hand on her ample hip considering that Alzheimer’s was, perhaps, really setting in this time. She pondered that thought and slowly scanned the dozens of bulging, water-damaged liquor boxes stuffed beyond all reason with things she couldn’t even remember anymore. She stared for a minute, not focused on anything in particular when she spotted it – the tacky red and white thermos with the Marlboro box on it. It was resting on top of scads of Howard’s beloved tchotchkes that he collected over the years. Just the sight of the ugly thermos tugged lightly at her heartstrings. “Harrumph,” she mumbled out loud, breaking the dusty, indifferent silence of the attic. It was just one of those things he wanted to have. The amount of coffee he could drink out of it would keep him going all day long at the job, he cajoled her, but she knew he just wanted it for the factory-tattooed Marlboro box emblazoned on the white screw-top. Oh how Howard loved his Marlboro’s. He loved his coffee, but he loved his Marlboro’s more. The clunky thing just appealed to him, but, as with all of his other in-the-moment purchases, it found its way to the attic in short order. She sighed and gingerly leaned over to inspect the red-ribbed, heavy plastic thermos. It still smelled of smoke. She plucked it from its resting place, dusted it off and unscrewed the top. She peered down into its silver-lined insides – phew, nothing inside except the faint smell of stale coffee.
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She slowly twisted the top back on until it was sealed shut. She stood motionless for a time fondly recalling far simpler times; all these items surrounding her represented small bits of her dear, sweet Howard. As the memories flooded her insides with warmth, the corners of her mouth drew up into a little smile and she clutched the thermos to her chest. She realized she was ready to part with all these things. She no longer needed them to remind her of him anymore; he would forever and always be in her heart.