303 East Street and Other Stories

Book excerpt: A moving van pulled in at 303 East Street's driveway. The father, Harry Lyle Brown and his best friend, Lennie Lee got out of the moving van's cab. They started carrying furniture for the downstairs through a built-on porch. When the van was empty, the house's downstairs had in it: a black couch, brown dining room table with five brown chairs, three bookcases, a black Lazyboy, a rocking chair, two black chairs, a knick-knack shelf, a box of knick-knacks, three wall clocks, a nineteen inch TV, TV stand, one double bed, a freezer, and a cloth dresser. Harry and Lennie organized per room; living, dining, kitchen, and bedroom. A half an hour later, the full moving van again entered the driveway. Harry and Lennie started carrying furniture for the upstairs. Three roller-away beds, five dressers, one double bed, four black trunks, three brown writing desks, three four-shelved bookshelves, ten boxes filled with paperback books, four nightstands, and two-dozen suitcases filled with clothes. After carrying all of the suitcases and furniture upstairs, Harry and Lennie put one of each in the bedrooms and hall. Pouring with sweat the two sat down in the kitchen and each of them had a cigarette.