Anissa Cantin

Three Knocks

Life seemed like a wild roller coast ride for Melissa.  She had ups and downs and even a few loopty-loops but the major events all seemed to have one thing in common – they all started with a knock at the door.

Chapter 1

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The little girl rolled over in her bed not sure if she was awake or dreaming.  Knock. Knock. Knock.  Now, she knew she was awake. Her room was still dark so morning had not yet arrived.  She sat up in her bed and listened intently for another round of the dream shattering noise.  Knock. Knock. Knock. Followed by a sleepy “Just a minute” from her mother in the next room.  Seconds later she heard her mother’s bedroom door swing open followed by the flip-flop, flip-flop rhythm of her slippers heading down the hall.

Melissa was curious.  She slipped out of bed and, pressing her back to the wall, quietly inched her way to the end of the long hallway.  A heavy curtain separated the hall form the living room.  The small two-bedroom house had only a window unit air conditioner so at night, the curtain was closed to re-route the cooled air into the bedrooms.  The July nights in the Texas heat would have been unbearable without this relief.

Gently taking hold of the curtain’s edge, she pulled back the heavy fabric for a look into the living room.  A blast of hot air escaped and hit her in the face as she squinted at the sudden appearance of light from a table lamp by the front door.  Her mother had let someone into the house.

Seated on the floral print sofa was a somehow familiar woman whose tall black hair-do had not even a one strand out of place.  Her mother was picking up newspapers and toys that had been left throughout the room in an apparent attempt to make the place more presentable for the unexpected guest.

“We just don’t know,” the lady said.

“But I spoke to him at midnight and everything was fine,” her mother replied.

“I really don’t know any more.  They said they would come by here as soon as they knew something and that I should come and with you.”

“Look, it was just two hours ago when we spoke on the phone.  I know the time because Starsky and Hutch was just going off the air.  He said a car was pulling up and he had to go but that he would be home around six.”

Suddenly, the identity of the woman was clear to Melissa.  It was Mrs. Cooke, the wife of her father’s boss.  She knew then they were talking about her daddy.  He was the rookie on the police force so he worked the graveyard shift.  Her mother hated that he was gone all night but seemed to find comfort in his nightly bedtime calls home.  In fact, Melissa had come to find comfort in the ringing of the incoming calls too.  She waited to hear the familiar jingle before falling asleep each night.

“Just come sit down, Linda.  We’ll know more soon,” Mrs. Cooke pleaded in a failed attempt to get calm Melissa’s mother.

“Was he shot?  Just tell me, was he shot?”

Hearing that dreaded question escape her mother’s lips, Melissa could remain in the shadows no longer.  She tore back the curtain and ran into the living room. 

“Where is my daddy?”

Mrs. Cooke turned in her seat and motioned for Melissa to come and sit beside her.  Refusing, the little girl clenched her fists, planted her feet firmly on the ground and repeated, “Where is my daddy?”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

All three of them froze in place.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

As if it couldn’t be put off any longer, Mrs. Cooke went to answer the door.

“No,” Melissa’s mom snapped, “I will get it.”

As Mrs. Cooke made her way to stand next to Melissa, Linda answered the door.

Waiting outside on the porch were two men.  One was in a blue uniform.  His badge caught the light and it made the golden surface sparkle.  The man wore jeans and a t-shirt with “Travis Park P.D.” and a patch in the shape of a badge on the front.

“Hello Linda,” the man in the jeans said.  “This is Jack Thompson and he is the department’s chaplain.  Can we come in?”

The rest of the night became a blur to Melissa.  Her mother was crying from the moment the officers asked to come in.  Soon after, the phone started ringing and it kept ringing, call after call.  People kept coming to the door.  Family members were coming over.  It was all too much for Melissa.  She retreated to her room and sat in the darkest corner all alone.  No one had told her what was happening but in her heart she knew.  She began to cry and eventually fell asleep still sitting in the darkness.

Chapter 2

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Well hello Bill.  Don’t you look handsome.  Come on in.”

Melissa heard her mother’s voice from down the hall.  Her date was already here and she was far from ready.  Pulling the now cooled hot rollers from her hair she yells down the hall, “Give me a few more minutes Bill, I’m not quite ready.  And mother, no pictures!”

She flipped her head over leaning so far forward that her long locks almost touched the floor.  She shook the curls loose a couple of time with her hands and then sprayed half a can of Aqua Net all around them before tossing her head back again.  With just a bit of teasing and a couple of more shots of spray, her hair was finally big enough for this most important evening.

Melissa took the emerald green dress from a hanger on the back of the bedroom door.  She knew she had to be careful because the lace was old and fragile.  She stepped into the dress and pulled the strapless bodice up her torso.  “I need a little help in here,” she yelled down the hall.

In just moments, her grandmother gently tapped on the door and then came in without waiting for a response. 

“What can I do for you my dear?  Your mom is busy keeping your gentleman caller entertained.”

“I can’t zip this up.  Can you help me?”

“Oh, my darling, you look so lovely in that dress.  Much better than I ever did.  I can’t believe you really are going to wear my old dancing dress to your prom.”

“Grandma, it is better than any dress in any store.  I am just glad you kept it for so long.”

“It was my favorite,” she said zipping the dress.  “Back before I met your grandfather, I use to go dancing every Saturday night.”  Melissa had heard the stories many times growing up and Bill was waiting, but he would just have to wait bit longer.

“What was the name of that hotel you use to go to grandma?”

“Oh we went to many.  Whichever one was having the best band that night is where we went but my favorite was the Peabody.”

“Was that the one with the ducks?”

“That’s the one but I was more interested in the boys in the band.”

“Grandma!”

“Well, I wasn’t married yet.  In fact, I hadn’t even met your grandpa.  I remember one night Joe Reichman and his orchestra was playing the big room at the Peabody.  A bunch of us girls got all dressed up and I wore that very dress you have on now.  We went down to that hotel and danced all night.”

Melissa sat down on the bed and began to strap on her silver high heel dress shoes.  Her grandmother walked over to the dresser and fumbled with the stuffed bears, dried flowers and spirit ribbons that were displayed all around the mirror. 

“I met your grandfather the very next day in the park.”

“Cool,” Melissa replied while standing and smoothing the lace of her dress.  “Was it love at first sight?”

“You know dear, I think it was.  We were married only six months later and within three weeks he was leaving for the war.”  A momentary silence hung over the room.  Sensing the mood had changed for this night of festivities, her grandmother cheerfully added, “but that is all ancient history and here you stand looking as lovely as ever.  I love you me dear.”

“I love you too grandma.  Do I really look alright?”

“But Definitely, my dear.  But Definitely”

Melissa gave her grandma a big hug and said, “I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you all about it grandma.  I gotta go, Bill is waiting.”

“Have fun sweetie.”

And with that, Melissa headed down the long hallway to rescue her date from her mother.

Chapter 3

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Finally! Would someone get the door?”  Melissa yelled down the hallway.  “It’s about time.  We are already late.”

“I don’t think they can start with us, well, at least not without you.”  Erin replied.

Melissa and Erin had been friends all through high school.  There were very few weekends that passed when they had not spent at least one night at one or the other’s houses and last night was no different.  They had stayed up all night eating, laughing, playing Asteroids and watching Kerry Von Erich wrestle just like they had done for the past four years.

“But everyone is waiting.  I can’t believe he is so late.”

“Calm down.  You are just nervous.  Are you ready?”

“Yeah, do you have my veil?  I want to put it on once we get to the church so it won’t wrinkle.”

“I got it.  I have your flowers too.”

“And the ri…”

“YES!  I have the ring too.  I have it all.  Can we go now?  Your uncle is waiting at the front door.”

“Let’s go.”  Melissa agreed with a calming sigh.

Erin led the way down the hall with Melissa holding back for a couple of seconds to get one last glance at her room.  She looked at the now empty walls.  She wondered if her mother would change the bed spread and curtains now.  She wondered if she would ever feel at home anywhere else.  Taking in another calming breath she held back the first of what would surly be many tears that day.  Then, exhaling slowly she turned off the light and headed down the hall.

“Sorry I am late.  I couldn’t get the grease out from under my fingernails,” her uncle said from the doorway leading outside.  “When you have worked on cars for as long as I have, some of that stuff just becomes permanent.”

“It’s OK uncle.  We have plenty of time,” Melissa replied.

Erin looked at Melissa and raised one eyebrow in confusion.

“Well then ladies, let’s go”

The group walked out of the front door to a beautiful brand new black Cadillac sitting in the driveway.

“Another good thing about working at a car dealership,” her uncle said.  “I get to borrow things like this for special occasions.”

“It’s wonderful.”  Melissa hugged her uncle and choked back more tears.  “Thank you for giving me away today.  If daddy couldn’t be here, you are the only one that I would want to stand in his place.”

“I am happy to do it kiddo.  Now let’s get to the church.”

With that, Melissa’s uncle opened the back door to the car and she and Erin slid into its plush interior.  After he had made his way around the car, he got it and with a goofy rendition of Going To The Chapel backed the car out of the driveway and headed toward the church.

Three Knocks - Revision Account

Writing this piece was more difficult for me than the poetry unit.  Maybe I should say that getting started on this piece was more difficult for me.  I have never written something like this before so just deciding on a topic was very hard.  So I did a bit of soul searching and decided that my life was a good starting point and I began by just jotting down major events that could be of interest.

     All three of the events in this piece are very loosely based on actual life events but I have tweaked them so much for readability sake that I am far removed from the character and even the storyline at this point.  In fact, when my husband asked me if I found it difficult to put some of this on paper, I was pretty surprised to tell him that it wasn’t at all.  It was a true piece of fiction for me now and I was not part of the story.  This was a point I picked up from our readings in Minot’s text. (Chapter 13)

     I shared my draft with Ron Burton and Laura Gurrero.  Of course they pointed out a couple of grammatical and typographical errors that were easy fixes but they also gave me some major stuff consider as well.  For example, both Ron and Laura questioned the pacing of the piece.  I was able to explain to both of them before they read it that it was geared for a young adult audience so it would move a bit differently but they wanted to know why there were such big gaps in the timeline.  The only response to that is time.  I just have not given this piece enough time to fill in the gaps.  Now, I never intended for this piece to be an actual account of the main character’s entire life but instead just hit the highlights.  However, I do agree there could be more and although that was never my intent, I just may write more now.

     Ron mentioned that he had trouble finding a common theme in the piece.  Ironically, he suggested the “knock knock knock”.  This was my thought from the beginning but obviously I was not obvious in my presentation.  This led to the little lead off paragraph at that precedes chapter one.  He also was confused on the lack of presence the mother had in chapters 2 and 3.  This is basically just something I have not figures out just yet.  I have not decided if mom will become closer with Melissa as Ron suggested or if she will sort of go off the deep end and disconnect.  This is not an easy fix and thus no change was made in this area.  Only time will answer this issue.

     I think this piece has more potential than I thought it would.  I read it to a class of 8^th graders that I was substituting in, a task I would not have attempted before getting my courage from this class, and they like it.  That kind of gave me a boost to work on it some more.  I think I will fill in some of the timeline and see where it goes from here because I do think I can find an audience for the piece and it is not just therapy. At the very least, I may use the progression of this piece as an example for the kids in my future classroom creative writing workshops.

(original draft)

Three Knocks

Chapter 1

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The little girl rolled over in her bed not sure if she was awake or dreaming.  Knock. Knock. Knock.  Now, she knew she was awake. Her room was still dark so morning had not yet arrived.  She sat up in her bed and listened intently for another round of the dream shattering noise.  Knock. Knock. Knock. Followed by a sleepy “Just a minute” from her mother in the next room.  Seconds later she heard her mother’s bedroom door swing open followed by the flip-flop, flip-flop rhythm of her slippers heading down the hall.

Melissa was curious.  She slipped out of bed and, pressing her back to the wall, quietly inched her way to the end of the long hallway.  A heavy curtain separated the hall form the living room.  The small two-bedroom house had only a window unit air conditioner so at night, the curtain was closed to re-route the cooled air into the bedrooms.  The July nights in the Texas heat would have been unbearable without this relief.

Gently taking hold of the curtain’s edge, she pulled back the heavy fabric for a look into the living room.  A blast of hot air escaped and hit her in the face as she squinted at the sudden appearance of light from a table lamp by the front door.  Her mother had let someone into the house.

Seated on the floral print sofa was a somehow familiar woman whose tall black hair-do had not even a one strand out of place.  Her mother was picking up newspapers and toys that had been left throughout the room in an apparent attempt to make the place more presentable for the unexpected guest.

“We just don’t know,” the lady said.

“But I spoke to him at midnight and everything was fine,” her mother replied.

“I really don’t know any more.  They said they would come by here as soon as they new something and that I should come and with you.”

“Look, it was just two hours ago when we spoke on the phone.  I know the time because Starsky and Hutch was just going off the air.  He said a car was pulling up and he had to go but that he would be home around six.”

Suddenly, the identity of the woman was clear to Melissa.  It was Mrs. Cooke, the wife of her father’s boss.  She knew then they were talking about her daddy.  He was the rookie on the police force so he worked the graveyard shift.  Her mother hated that he was gone all night but seemed to find comfort in his nightly bedtime calls home.  In fact, Melissa had come to find comfort in the ringing of the incoming calls too.  She waited to hear the familiar jingle before falling asleep each night.

“Just come sit down, Linda.  We’ll know more soon,” Mrs. Cooke pleaded in a failed attempt to get calm Melissa’s mother.

“Was he shot?  Just tell me, was he shot?”

Hearing that dreaded question escape her mother’s lips, Melissa could remain in the shadows no longer.  She tore back the curtain and ran into the living room. 

“Where is my daddy?”

Mrs. Cooke turned in her seat and motioned for Melissa to come and sit beside her.  Refusing, the little girl clenched her fists, planted her feet firmly on the ground and repeated, “Where is my daddy?”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

All three of them froze in place.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

As if it couldn’t be put off any longer, Mrs. Cooke went to answer the door.

“No,” Melissa’s mom snapped, “I will get it.”

As Mrs. Cooke make her way to stand next to Melissa, Linda answered the door.

Waiting outside on the porch were two men.  One was in a blue uniform.  His badge caught the light and it made the golden surface sparkle.  The man wore jeans and a t-shirt with “Travis Park P.D.” and a badge like form printed on the front.

“Hello Linda,” the man in the jeans said.  “This is Jack Thompson and he is the department’s chaplain.  Can we come in?”

The rest of the night became a blur to Melissa.  Her mother was crying from the moment the officers asked to come in.  Soon after, the phone started ringing and it kept ringing, call after call.  People kept coming to the door.  Family members were coming over.  It was all too much for Melissa.  She retreated to her room and sat in the darkest corner all alone.  No one had told her what was happening but in her heart she knew.  She began to cry and eventually fell asleep still sitting in the darkness.

Chapter 2

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Well hello Bill.  Don’t you look handsome.  Come on in.”

Melissa heard her mother’s voice from down the hall.  Her date was already here and she was far from ready.  Pulling the now cooled hot rollers from her hair she yells down the hall, “Give me a few more minutes Bill and mother, no pictures!”

She flipped her head over leaning so far forward that her long locks almost touched the floor.  She shook the curls loose a couple of time with her hands and then sprayed half a can of Aqua Net all around them before tossing her head back again.  With just a bit of teasing and a couple of more shots of spray, her hair was finally big enough for this most important evening.

Melissa took the emerald green dress from a hanger on the back of the bedroom door.  She knew she had to be careful because the lace was old and fragile.  She stepped into the dress and pulled the strapless bodice up her torso.  “I need a little help in here,” she yelled down the hall.

In just moments, her grandmother gently tapped on the door and then came in without waiting for a response. 

“What can I do for you my dear?”

“I can’t zip this up.  Can you help me?”

“Oh, my darling, you look so lovely in that dress.  Much better than I ever did.  I can’t believe you really are going to wear my old dancing dress to your prom.”

“Grandma, it is better than any dress in any store.  I am just glad you kept it for so long.”

“It was my favorite,” she said zipping the dress.  “Back before I met your grandfather, I use to go dancing every Saturday night.”  Melissa had heard the stories many times growing up and Bill was waiting, but he would just have to wait bit longer.

“What was the name of that hotel you use to go to grandma?”

“Oh we went to many.  Whichever one was having the best band that night is where we went but my favorite was the Peabody.”

“Was that the one with the ducks?”

“That’s the one but I was more interested in the boys in the band.”

“Grandma!”

“Well, I wasn’t married yet.  In fact, I hadn’t even met your grandpa.  I remember one night Joe Reichman and his orchestra was playing the big room at the Peabody.  A bunch of us girls got all dressed up and I wore that very dress you have on now.  We went down to that hotel and danced all night.”

Melissa sat down on the bed and began to strap on her silver high heel dress shoes.  Her grandmother walked over to the dresser and fumbled with the stuffed bears, dried flowers and spirit ribbons that were displayed all around the mirror. 

“I met your grandfather the very next day in the park.”

“Cool,” Melissa replied while standing and smoothing the lace of her dress.  “Was it love at first sight?”

“You know dear, I think it was.  We were married only six months later and within three weeks he was leaving for the war.”  A momentary silence hung over the room.  Sensing the mood had changed for this night of festivities, her grandmother cheerfully added, “but that is all ancient history and here you stand looking as lovely as ever.  I love you me dear.”

“I love you too grandma.  Do I really look alright?”

“But Definitely, my dear.  But Definitely”

Melissa gave her grandma a big hug and said, “I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you all about it grandma.  I gotta go, Bill is waiting.”

“Have fun sweetie.”

And with that, Melissa headed down the long hallway to rescue her date from her mother.

Chapter 3

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Finally! Would someone get the door?”  Melissa yelled down the hallway.  “It’s about time.  We are already late.”

“I don’t think they can start with us, well, at least not without you.”  Erin replied.

Melissa and Erin had been friends all through high school.  There were very few weekends that passed when they had not spent at least one night at one or the other’s houses and last night was no different.  They had stayed up all night eating, laughing, playing Asteroids and watching Kerry Von Erich wrestle just like they had done for the past four years.

“But everyone is waiting.  I can’t believe he is so late.”

“Calm down.  You are just nervous.  Are you ready?”

“Yeah, do you have my veil?  I want to put it on once we get to the church so it won’t wrinkle.”

“I got it.  I have your flowers too.”

“And the ri…”

“YES!  I have the ring too.  I have it all.  Can we go now?  Your uncle is waiting at the front door.”

“Let’s go.”  Melissa agreed with a calming sigh.

Erin led the way down the hall with Melissa holding back for a couple of seconds to get one last glance at her room.  She looked at the now empty walls.  She wondered if her mother would change the bed spread and curtains now.  She wondered if she would ever feel at home anywhere else.  Taking in another calming breath she held back the first of what would surly be many tears that day.  Then, exhaling slowly she turned off the light and headed down the hall.

“Sorry I am late.  I couldn’t the grease out from under my fingernails,” her uncle said from the doorway leading outside.  “When you have worked on cars for as long as I have, some of that stuff just becomes permanent.”

“It’s OK uncle.  We have plenty of time,” Melissa replied.

Erin looked at Melissa and raised one eyebrow in confusion.

“Well then ladies, let’s go”

The group walked out of the front door to a beautiful brand new black Cadillac sitting in the driveway.

“Another good thing about working at a car dealership,” her uncle said.  “I get to borrow things like this for special occasions.”

“It’s wonderful.”  Melissa hugged her uncle and choked back more tears.  “Thank you for giving me away today.  If daddy couldn’t be here, you are the only one that I would want to stand in his place.”

“I am happy to do it kiddo.  Now let’s get to the church.”

With that, Melissa’s uncle opened the back door to the car and she and Erin slid into its plush interior.  After he had made his way around the car, he got it and with a goofy rendition of Going To The Chapel backed the car out of the driveway and headed toward the church.