#because the previous owners put vinyl siding on and it's like a cream color | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

desiraypark · 4 years

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Let’s take a tour...

A Tour of Clyde and Sherri’s Home Close your eyes and imagine. Well, don’t close your eyes because you have to read this.

Clyde bought the cozy two-bedroom house after the last great Cauliflower scheme. Sherri moved in a few weeks before their wedding. I imagine the exterior looking something like this...

LIVING ROOM

Alright. Now, we’re in the livin’ room. Very simple: Cream walls, butterscotch oak floorin’. Navy blue sofa against the wall, matchin’ recliner beside it. Dark wood coffee table. Flat screen TV mounted on the wall. Sherri’s additions: She picked out the table under the TV. Its color matches the coffee table almost perfectly. She put framed photos on top of it (we’ll talk about those photos in a few). At one point, she’d bought a coral rug to put up under the coffee table. Right now, she’s got a white vase in the middle of the table with some artificial peonies up in it.

Oh, she also bought a shoe rack that’s by the front door (please use that next time). And a floor lamp. Just a regular ol’ floor lamp with a silver body and white shade. Before they got engaged, Sherri strongly recommended that Clyde get some real blinds and toss those temporary shades (he did). KITCHEN/DINING Alright, now we’re gonna walk through the living room and into the kitchen and dining area. As you can see, the kitchen has maintained a...”classic” look—the wood panelin’, wooden cupboards and shelves.This yellowed linoleum that needs to come on up. The oven and refrigerator are both black--kinda new. Sherri’s mom once asked her when those two would get the kitchen remodeled, It reminded Clyde of his Grandma and PawPaw’s kitchen. The previous owners didn’t make any changes to it, so neither would Clyde. Now--step on inside, y’all, I don’t bite--now, as you can see, when you walk all the way into the kitchen, the fridge is pushed to the wall on your right, sitting beside a half-counter that connects to the oven. You see the counter wrapping all the way around to the door--giving Clyde and Sherri some good cookin’ space. They do other things on this counter, but that ain’t my business to tell. They love lookin’ out this window over the sink to look at the birds and butterflies in the backyard. Of course, that door leads to the back yard, but this door is right here to my right is the pantry slash laundry room. Sherri’s additions: So, Sherri got her grandma to make these cute lil’ embroidered curtains for the window and the door. Sherri keeps sayin’ that she’s gonna learn how to sew, but that ain’t girl ain’t gonna start no time soon. Anyway, she just bought this big blender--she said it’s for smoothies, but she really wants Clyde to make her some frozen margaritas this summer. She also bought them a 12-piece Pyrex set. Now, I don’t like to stereotype men, but both me and Sherri were shocked that Clyde had so much cookware, and silverware, and a good set of dishes. I mean, the man had all kinds of nice pots and pans--even a cast iron skillet! But the thing is, the stuff was barely used. Of course, he’s always busy at Duck Tape, but one day, he told Sherri that he’d bought it all during his “Food Network phase”. Okay, to your left is their dining table. Nothin’ fancy. Let’s move right along... MASTER BEDROOM So, if y’all turn around and step outside of the kitchen and look to your left--that door right there leads to Clyde and Sherri’s bedroom. It has the same design as the living room: cream walls, butterscotch flooring. Y’all follow me inside. So, as you can see, the bedroom set is a dark wood, I guess that’s ebony or somethin’. It came with a queen-size sleigh bed, a vertical dresser, and a nightstand. Clyde could have gotten a horizontal dresser with the mirror attached to it, but he didn’t think he’d need it. He just put a floor length mirror on the back of the door. Clyde also keeps sayin’ that he wants a king-size one day--he’s a big man, you know? But he didn’t wanna overcrowd the room. To your left is the closet, where Clyde and Sherri keep their shoes; their coats; their nice clothes--you know, dresses, suits, and all that. Now, as we look past the closet, our eyes will land on the nightstand, and beside that, the bed. Clyde put the bed there so he could look up at the sunshine in the morning. Then, on the other side of the bed is the horizontal dresser with its attached mirror. Then, directly to your right you’ll see a vertical dresser. That’s a case for Clyde’s prosthetic arm on top of it. Sherri’s additions: Sherri hasn’t added much to the bedroom. Of course, she was definitely gonna need some space for her clothes, so she and Clyde went on and picked out a horizontal dresser. Sherri kinda hates it, though--because it doesn’t match the rest of the set. Clyde bought the landscape painting over his dresser. But other than that, Sherri’s only additions are her personal items, a few candles, and some extra bedding sets that she keeps in the linen closet. BATHROOM Okay, now let’s step out of the master bedroom and walk across the living room and into that tiny, little hallway. In front of us is the linen closet. To your right is another room and to your left is the bathroom. Let’s step into the bathroom, it’ll be quick. Matter of fact, don’t even step inside--just peek in. The wall is a pale yellow, the floor white tile. The sink is to your left. That’s a medicine chest on top of it--I don’t think they put those in too many new houses, these days. Of course, that’s the toilet beside the sink, and beside the toilet is the tub. That’s Clyde’s shower curtain. The mother duck leading her ducklings across a pond. He picked out these green rugs, too. Sherri’s additions: Again, all Sherri really bought to the bathroom are her personal items...and her desire to set the shower curtain on fire. SPARE ROOM

*closes bathroom door* Now, let’s turn around. We have what’s my favorite room in Clyde and Sherri’s home. The “spare” room. I love it and they love it because it’s a space they built together. When Clyde and Sherri were dating, it was an empty room, minus a few boxes and a random lamp with a bird on it.

Come in, come in. So, when they were engaged, Sherri helped him sort through his boxes. Just a few boxes--three or four, I suppose. They had books; photos; stuff from his time in the military, and some of his mom’s belongings--some jewelry and a few little accessories. Clyde told Sherri that he just never got around to unpacking the boxes, but she knew that he really meant, “I wasn’t ready to unpack these boxes”. So, she didn’t push him with this one. Instead, they just put a lot of thought into what they’d turn the room into--then the stuff in the boxes would find their places. So, finally, they decided they just turn this into an “unwind” room. Not an entertainment room, but a place to just relax, or take a nap. But as you can see, they kept the furnishing minimal--because who knows? The unwind room might have to be transformed into the Lil’ Shlyde or the lil’ Clerri room, one day. Don’t tell them I came up with those names, they’re liable to take me serious. So, I know, the first thing y’all probably noticed was the console record player right in front of you. Somethin’ about the scritch and scratch of some vinyl just puts you in a different kind of mood, don’t you think? Up against this back wall is a modular sectional. Clyde and Sherri take many a nap on this thing. Doesn’t it look cozy? I wonder what they’ll do with it if they move out...

But anyway, to your left--is a modular bookcase that houses the lovebirds’ combined book collections. Over here, under the window is a mini fridge and a tub of snacks. The unwind room turns into the “PMS” and “eat your feelings out” room, real quick! Okay, that wasn’t my business to tell. I’d show you the backyard, but it isn’t much. It’s fenced in--that I will mention. But other than that, the yard is patchy. They have a couple of reclining lawn chairs. They don’t have a grill because Jimmy is the designated Logan Grill King, so why bother? But it’s a pretty empty backyard--nothin’ special.

So, that brings me to the end of this tour. I hope y’all enjoyed it. Please pay Clyde and Sherri a visit. They’re a lovely couple. Ask Clyde to fix you up a drink he calls the “Sherri”. I don’t know what’s in it, but I know that thang had me in their living room doin’ The Wobble one night. The Wobble wasn’t even playin’ and I was doin’ it by myself. Needless to say, he doesn’t make it for me anymore. But anyway. Bye y’all!

#the world of clyde x sherri

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yesemcollins · 4 years

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Chapter 1

I think on some level I knew that the life I lived was wrong. I remember spending considerable amounts of time looking in the mirror. Besides my father's copper brown skin and my mother's deep umber eyes, there was little of them to find in my facial features. I was often told how similar I looked to my Aunt Elizabeth. I had imagined at times that I was actually her child but since she had a full ride scholarship to college, she had to give me to my mother for caring. I think that gave me hope in believing that maybe someday I'd escape her. That because I wasn't truly hers to have, she had no right to keep me.

However, I've always been a glass half full type of person. After John had kicked us out for the hundredth time, my mother had found an apartment for us to stay in till we could come back. She had lost the key the first day. Luckily the apartment was on the ground floor, so we went through the back. That's when mom taught me how to open locked sliding doors, Just push in and slide. We had no furniture and only a few clothes that we had packed. The electricity and plumbing were down but my mother usually had me stay with a neighbor while she worked. Once, a sweet japanese couple said I could stay with them. It was the first and last time I ate jellyfish. That's where i'd eat and shower, and mom would shower at the police station, where she worked with John. Then we'd go back to the apartment at night and sleep on the floor. It was a strange way to live, but I thought 'atleast we aren't with John.'

We returned to John after only two weeks in that empty apartment. John had bought a new project house out in the small town of New Richmond. It was a large ranch house on a few acres of land, across from a cattle farm. It was a big project, the place had to be completely gutted and remodeled. It was the second longest place we had ever stayed, and my favorite. The summer we moved in, I took my bike and road along the fence line of the cattle farm. The few houses within miles of us were hidden deep within the woods, only the gravel driveways giving hint to their existence. When I found a pasture full of horses, it was like a dream come true. After making an agreement with the old man who owned the horses, I spent most of my free time mucking the stalls and riding when I was done.

I made friends with a boy the summer before we left New Richmond. I was walking down the long gravel driveway, when I noticed a new addition alone in the pasture. She was a beautiful brown paint, her hair the color of oatmeal and her eyes like sparkling crystals. I called her over to the edge of the fence gently, she was hesitant but soon allowed me to stroke her neck. With a deep urge to ride her, I climbed the fence and mounted her bareback. There was a strange connection between me and that horse as I felt her breathe between my legs. My mind drifted to the places I often dreamt of riding one of those horses off to. My thought had been interrupted by a wet voice of a boy calling out to me from the fence. The horse suddenly bucked and jerked around, I wrapped my hands in her hair trying to hold on. When I found a soft place to land, I quickly jumped from the horses back and rolled out under the fence. I scolded the boy for spooking the poor girl, but soon forgave him as he expressed his awe at my riding. Later that day, when the rancher returned home, I told him what happened. He couldn't believe I had managed to even get the horse to come to me, let alone mount her. She was his newest rescue and hadn't been properly broken by her previous owner. She was wild at heart and quite temperamental.

I promised not to ride her again, though it didn't much matter. With the house nearly done, my days on the ranch and with my new friend were short lived. So short lived, I hadn't even bothered to remember his name. It was something I had grown used to. Meeting new people and having to say goodbye. After our third move, I learned not to get attached to people. It was less painful that way.

When John found a buyer for the ranch he made enough money for us to stay in one house as he worked on another. That's when we moved to Amelia. It was the biggest house we'd ever lived in. The house had sky blue vinyl siding with navy blue shutters and bushes blooming with pink hibiscus flowers along the white railings of the front porch. We had a large backyard with neighbors on either side.

When the unpacking was done, I managed to sneak away on my bike to explore our new neighborhood. I found a lush green field with a dusting of daisies. A small dirt path, hardly visible from the street, led me through the waist high grass into a spot of woods. The canopy of the trees gave the area a whimsical feel. The air filled with bird song, the heat of the sun eased by the shade. I climbed over fallen trees and let the tall grass and flowers brush against my fingertips as I explored the area. Near the center of the forest, a fallen tree had been broken into four and arranged around a silver metal fire pit. I pushed on through the woods till I came out the other side to a soccer field. It was on a hill that looked down into the yards of the houses nearby. These two places would become my sanctuary.

As I put my bike in the garage, my body went stiff at the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

"You must be my new neighbor." a scratchy voice said from the driveway.

I turned with a jump, my eyes wide and my heart racing. I looked back at the ginger haired boy, standing with his hands in his jean pockets.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just thought I'd say 'Hi'. I'm Miles." he pulled a hand from his pocket and gave a small wave with an apologetic smile.

"You didn't scare me." I said, relaxing my shoulder and pulling a can of Coke from the fridge.

"If that's what you wanna believe." Miles chuckled. "Anyway, I live next door. I saw you riding your bike and thought maybe you'd want to come hang out. All the kids on the street like to hang out at the end of the cul-de-sac." He offered, as I sipped my drink.

"I can't, I have stuff to do." I answered, climbing the two steps to open the door into our kitchen.

"Wait! You didn't tell me your name." Miles called out with a crooked smile.

I sighed, my hand on the door knob, I looked over my shoulder. "Naomi." Then I pressed the button to shut the garage door and went inside.

“Naomi? Is that you?” my mother called from the living room. I called back out to her as I searched the fridge for a snack.

“Will you bring me a can of pop and make me some salami rolls? I’m having the biggest craving.” She asked before turning up the volume on the tv.

I rolled my eyes before returning to the garage to grab her a drink, then pulled out the cream cheese and salami.

I handed my mother a plate of the salami rolls and drummed my fingertips over the pop can before opening it.

“Hey, could you grab my phone for me? I forgot it in the bathroom.” She added as she took the can from my hands. I quickly got her phone for her then sat on the couch across the room with a plate of my own.

“Who were you talking to out in the garage?”

I suddenly found the telenova very interesting, “Just some kid from next door, trying to be neighborly I guess.” I answered after I finished swallowing.

“Well, when you’re finished I need you to unpack all the stuff in Cory’s room. He will be staying with us this weekend. Now that we live closer, he will be visiting more often.” She crossed her plump ankles, her painted toes wiggling happily. I tried hard not to grimace at the site of her big toe. The nail was lifted above the bed by fungus, it was a sickly yellow beneath the bright red polish. I read a book where witches would get deformities from working with the devil, I sometimes wondered if that’s what happened to her toe.

As I stood to put away my empty plate, my mother held out her plate to be taken as well.

“And will you turn up the A/C, It’s so hot in here.” She wiped the sweat between her neck and chin with a towel then swept her long raven black waves of hair up into a bun. I quickly rushed upstairs before I could be asked to do anything else, and made my way across the balcony to Cory’s room. John had already set up the bed and dresser, but there were plenty of boxes to be unpacked.

‘Cory is plenty old enough to unpack himself, why can’t he do it?’ I had thought to myself as I neatly folded his clothes and put them away.

When I finished I snuck back across the balcony to my room. It was a minimalistic room, compared to everyone else’s in the house. The walls, a light lavender, with shelves for my books. A dresser and my bed was all I had or needed. A large bay window looked out over the driveway and into the street. I grabbed my book and cuddled into a pillow as I escaped into another world.

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