Is it descriptive enough? can you get a feel for the house?

*Link to this entry and click to hear song for this part of the chapter*  

Chapter 10

 

Hannah picked up off the car’s floor the plastic bag with the candy and drinks she had purchased and opened her car door and got out. She shivered as the night air hit her.  Phil got out and slammed the driver side door shut. He too felt the chill in the air. He pulled his black and grey checkered flannel closer and started for the door with Hannah close behind.

 

Hannah followed Phil like a shadow as they stepped up onto the dark porch that had two wicker chairs and a table set out. Hannah noted that there was an ashtray and a dirty glass on the wicker table.  As they reach the door they could hear music coming from the house.  Phil turned the knob and opened the door to a crack and then looked over to Hannah as he put his hand out for her to take. With her free hand she took his and followed him into the house.

 

Hannah could smell the now familiar herbal scent of marijuana as soon as she walked into the entrance way littered with shoes. Phil stepped over the shoes and pulled Hannah along with him around a corner that led to a short dimly lit hall way. At the end of the hall was another corner that glowed with a red light.

 

“Stan, we’re here.” Phil yelled over the Procol Harlum lyrics playing from down the hall.

 

Hannah noticed a few holes in the walls and also that there was no pictures or mirrors hanging, no decorations at all. On the gray rug that lined the hall she over stepped a dirty sock and a dead leaf here and there.<o:p></o:p>

 

“Come on in” Stan’s voice carried from the room around the corner.

 

Phil still had Hannah’s hand as they came to the corner that opened up to a small living room and an adjacent kitchen separated by a half wall. The living room was very messy and unkempt with old soda cans on the coffee table and stacks of papers and the gray rug looked as if it had not been vacuumed in God knows how long and had various stains in the major traffic areas. 

 

Stan was sitting on a faded blue love seat couch with his feet up on the cluttered coffee table.  Across the room was a big ’28 inch colored TV. on a chestnut stained wood stand that had doors open up at the bottom littered with a game system and games and videos.  On top of the TV was just one dusty picture of a green eyed, red head girl sitting in a grassy area. She had on a big toothy grin and was wearing a tie died shirt and a white flowing skirt. Her expression looked as if she was just laughing at the world’s funniest joke and it had been captured forever in time by this picture. Hannah had recognized the girl in the picture from one she had seen at the coffee house. On the right side to the TV on the far wall was a book self with a few books and a large collection of records.  And on the left side of the TV was another small stand with an old record player that was spinning the record Stan was currently listening to. “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” was floating out of the speakers that was hanging on the wall positioned on both sides of the small love seat. In a corner was a standing halogen lamp with a red light bulb in it, drenching the small room in red light, giving it a cool mellow feel.

 

Phil led Hannah over to beat up brown recliner by the curtain less dirty window that over looked a small yard with tall wood fencing. Phil sat down and gently pulled Hannah down to sit on his lap.  Hannah sat lightly down and then set the plastic gas station bag down next to her feet. She surveyed the room and the connecting kitchen with a polite smile. Her first thought was to get up and start picking up the trash on the coffee table and take it to the almost over flowing garbage can in the kitchen and then do the tall stack of dirty dishes pilled up in the kitchen sink and half wall and maybe mop the filthy tile floor of the kitchen but she held it back.  She knows it would seem rude but the house is a mess, a stark contrition to her home that her mother kept immaculate. Instead she leaned back on Phil’s chest and let him put his arms around her.

 

“Took you guys long enough” Stan said mildly as he was relaxing on the love seat.

 

“We made a pit stop for some goodies” Phil answered him and then added, “What where you doing at the gas station dude! I know you stopped there.  The clerk ratted you out to Hannah.”

 

Hannah winced at Phil’s angry tone and wish she had not mentioned to him what the attendance had told her.

 

“Aw man chill. I just did you a favor and gassed up the baby. Even watched my speed so the cops wouldn’t bust me.  Thanks for your confidante in me son” Stan snapped at him.

 

Phil let out an angry sigh into Hannah’s ear that gave her goose bumps and then she felt him calm down as he said, “Sorry but you do not have the best of records. But thanks for thinking of me and putting gas in her.”

 

“Sweet ride.  Glad you let me drive her home.  But too flashy and too much attention.  I don’t think it’s the car for you... Well maybe for a...” Stan trailed off what he was saying so he wouldn’t say “a big star like you”.  He didn’t want to be the one to bring the subject up with Hannah around.  And he knows Phil craves to be treated normal now and then and he wants to be a safe place for him when he needs a retreat.

 

There was a relaxing pause in the conversation as they listened to the record playing it’s self out.  When the recorded stopped spinning and came to its conclusion Stan reluctantly got up out of his seat and went over to the record player and took the record off the deck and put it carefully back into its jacket with its black and white drawing of a girl with flowing hair.

 

“Haven’t you upgraded yet to CD dude?” Phil asked but knew the answer.

 

“Na.  Nothing like vinyl.  CDs just don’t sound the same.  I do have one in my room for the newer music but I rather listen to my old records.” Stan stated.

 

Phil smiled because he knew his uncle meant to say when he listened to his music but was glad he refrained from saying it. “Well at least put something a bit more uplifting than that last one. Jefferson Airplane would be cool.”

 

“Why don’t you come over here and look for it yourself then? I am going to spark one up and then go look for that box I promised Hannah I need to go to bed soon and kick you guys out.” Stan said as he put the record on the shelf with the others and went over to the couch.