Writer's Block

A Typewriter

Four hours later, I had unpacked only about ten boxes. A baby stool sat next to my dented kitchen table. A box of toys sat next to my squashed chair in the kids' bedroom, and an array of children's books lined my shelves. My desk sat facing a wall next to my small television.

I had hung up as many of Sophie's clothes as I could, but then I had run out of hangers. I had turned my attention to Grant's clothes and had carefully folded and placed them in the drawers under his crib.

And then I fed Grant and Sophie, followed by me changing Grant's diaper. Fantastic.

I pulled open another box and groaned. A dollhouse. Now I had to find the dolls. I hefted the heavy wooden house out of the box, settling it next to my desk.

Under the house was a soft blanket, hand-sewn with love. It was Sophie's baby blanket. A lump rose in my throat - my sister had made that. I shook the sadness out of my head and stood, walking into the kid's room. I carefullly placed it on Sophie's mattress, smoothing out the wrinkles.

Walking back into the main room, I found Grant slobbering on the floor, happily gurgling away. Sophie sat cross-legged on my office chair. "What's that?" she asked, pointing at my manual typewriter.

I smiled. "That's a typewriter."

She blinked at me, confused. "What's a typewriter?"

"It's like a computer," I answered. "Here, let me show you." I leaned over her, sliding a piece of paper into place, rolling the wheel so the paper was centered. "If you hit a key," I smaked an 'i'. The arm snapped out, slamming into the paper. Sophie jumped. "That happens. See?"

"Wow!" Her eyes shone. "Can I do that?"

"Of course," I stood back up. "You have to hit the key really hard though."

"Okay!" She started smaking the keys, humming a happy tune.

Smiling to myself, I continued to unpack the boxes. I found a few small dolls, which I lined up in the sky blue dollhouse.

"Auntie?" Sophie asked.

"Hmm?" I paused in my unpacking.

"How do you go to the next line?"

I once again turned to help her. "You do this." I grabbed the arm, sliding it to the left with a solid chink!

"Wow!" Sophie gasped. "Awesome!"

I ruffled her hair. "Of course."

I glanced at Grant to find him still drooling on the floor. I pulled open some more boxes, searching for - and finally finding - his baby swing. I placed it in the middle of the room and settled the chubby baby into the seat. After locking him into his seat, I turned back to the task at hand.

I hated unpacking.