Searching For A Nation

     Samuel knew the trunk was his and would go with him.  The trunk was a possession the family held dear, and a priviledge to own it.  Samuel remembered the aroma of cedar that wafted from the large sturdy trunk, and stories of how  his father Job used to sit on the trunk after a long day in the fields.  His fondest memory of the trunk was the time his mother was cleaning it out.  She had carefully stacked the contents on the floor, but was interrupted before she was able to repack the contents.  Later, returning and finishing the chore, she closed the lid firmly.  Immediately, she heard a frantic scratching coming from the inside of the trunk.  Amadine, almost scared, slowly raised the top.  She jumped back when a mouse scampered out of the trunk.  She let out a scream, which in turn scared the mouse even more.  The mouse ran around the room with squealing, giggling children chasing behind.

     The laughter escalated when the mouse ran up their father's pant leg.  Job hated rodents of any kind.  Their father bent over immediately to prevent the mouse from going any further up his pant leg, trying to hold it in place.  Job was not sure how to get the mouse out of his pants.  He did not want to move fearing the mouse would travel even further up his pants, but also knew he could not stay bent over forever.  Job began to jump around, dancing a jig that rivaled that of any blue-ribbon award winner.  Laughter could not be contained at the sight of the tall, strong, stoic man being so vulnerable.  All of Job's children knew their father hated rodents, he was almost afraid of them, making  the sight even funnier.  Father, too laughed at the situation, knowing he was a funny sight to everyone.  It had been a long time since everyone in the household had laughed so hard.  When the mouse fell out of the pant leg, it scurried around the room looking for an exit, finally  going out underneath the front door.  The scene was imprinted in Samuel's mind forever.