Of My Past Life
On the corner of Julia Street in New Orleans there was a small shabby book shop the sign on top faded badly and unreadable used to read "Tom's books" - beaten up from years of neglect. As you walked into the shop there was a faint smell of smoke and liquor. Your attention is instantly drawn to the four medium height bookcases in front of you, crammed full of old and new books; the new books yet to be tinged by the smell of smoke. The walls were a pale cream, some patches darker than others due to damp. As you look straight in front of you, you'll see a glass counter/cabinet filled with small glass figures, a few displayed on the counter. In the back right corner there was a small green table with a victrola on it which replayed the same piano music everyday as it reminded the owner of his sister. To the left back corner was a door which led into a small cramped back room where the owner slept.
New Orleans was blistering hot when Blanche Du Bois Appeared on Julia Street looking for the Street Car named Desire. With the intensity of the heat, it created heat waves in the air making it hard to make out people's faces. Blanche patted her cheeks lightly as the heat was getting to her slightly, making her more self-conscious of her appearance. As today was a special day and she was going to see her little sister, Stella again. It had been dreadfully long since Blanche had seen her sister, plus Stella was the only person she could go to now as she was kicked out of Laurel for reasons she'd prefer to keep to herself.
As Blanche continued to walk down Julia Street, many people walked past her, she kept her face hidden by the shadow of hat. She wore a white suit with fluffy bodice, white gloves, a necklace and earrings of pearl. She couldn't face talking to a stranger with her face exposed to such intense light. Maybe that's another reason why she was drawn by the book shop for its poor lighting inside. She glanced inside the shop which had no name as it had faded so badly, though as she looked she saw the shelves packed full of books; this intrigued her more as she has a background in English.
Blanche wandered in, going up the centre row and looking at the books, plays by Shakespeare and novels by Charles Dickens. However as she made her way closer to the glass counter she could hear the soft tinkling of the music being played on the victrola in the background. She admired the craftsmanship which went into the glass figures which were displayed on the counter.
She was most enchanted by the glass figure of the piano; the cut of it was most splendid she thought to herself as she picked it up, looking at the fine detail which went into it. She smiled faintly as the piano reminded her of the days when her and Stella were just mere children. Playing the piano in the cramped music room in Belle Reve; she let out a low sigh as she missed those happy days.
Seemingly it was as if the glass piano had bewitched Blanche as the sounds from outside were slowly fading, the sound of the tinkling piano music being played on the victrola still remained as the light flickered and Blanche thought back to that memory of her sister and herself as sweet innocent Southern Belle's yet to blossom.
"Oh Blanche, I just can't wait to grow up – to find my one true love, to follow in the footsteps of past Southern Belle's." Stella sighed as she rested her head on top of the piano keys she was sitting in front of. Blanche's laughter rang softly through the air in the room as she continued to play on her side of the piano.
"All in due time Stella Star – all in due time. One still needs to grow up a little more before they should start thinking about love." Blanche said earnestly as she continued to play. Stella pouted as she turned her head to look at her sister admiring her complexion and facial beauty. Blanche stopped playing, turning to face her little sister. She smiled at Stella, thinking how wonderful her little sister was and how they'll both have a happy ending with the one's they love.
Stella stuck out her tongue at Blanche, getting up from the piano seat. Dancing and spinning round the room, with a big smile on her face; Blanche laughed as she got up and took her little sister in her arms and danced slowly with her in their small music room. It was their room, where they could spend their free time doing whatever they fancied. To be able to break away from the structures of the Southern Belle's which held them so tightly in its grasp.
For dancing for a little, Stella stopped and glanced out the window letting out a low sigh in pain; Blanche looked down at her sister with a curious raise of her right eyebrow as to ask "what was the matter?" Stella broke away from Blanche's embrace and went to sit on the piano chair again, pressing down on a key lightly.
Blanche lightly stepped over to her younger sister, playing with the ends of her hair, "tell me, what is wrong, Stella? I'm here for you…" Stella held her finger down on the piano key, the ringing of the vibrations made lasted a short while till it all fell silent, before she broke the silence again, "How can you be here for me? You can't be here all the time Blanche – you have your own life to live and you already have gentleman callers coming round…" She leaned her head back against Blanche, her eyes slightly teary, "You'll have to leave me sometime Blanche."
It was then, that Blanche realised how lonely Stella got when she went out on a date with the gentlemen callers who came by for her. To take her away and spoil her as a hope to win her over then someday marry her. Blanche would then leave Belle Reve with that man and only visit on special occasions.
Those were special and thoughtful days for the girls but yet it turned out totally different. Stella had left whilst Blanche was left with trying to fill her lust and hide her ever aging body. Blanche was soon awaken from the trance she was in by the street car which drove past, shaking the small books shop and bringing her back out of her memory. She was shaken by how things had turned out that she forgot about the glass piano in her hands as it slipped through her fingers.
The glass piano smashed into little tiny pieces, the ringing of the shattering of it drifted to the owner in the back room as he stirred from his drunken slumber. He mumbled a few drunken slurs from under his breath as he slowly got up from his bed. Rubbing his head as it throbbed from the hangover he was left with from the night before. he staggered slightly as he moved towards the door slightly, opening it a little before stepping out of his room to see a woman dressed in white at the glass counter.
Blanche looked over to the left corner as she observed a man in black trousers and a blue shirt un-tucked with a few stains on it. It was obvious he hadn't shaven in a couple days from the stubble with littered his face, his eyes almost blood shot. "I – I'm sorry – it was an accident." Blanche spoke in a broken voice as she took a step away from the glass piano.
Tom moved forward, over to Blanche; noticing the glass piano before he got a chance to look at Blanche properly. His eyes filled with tears as he knelt down, fingering the glass piano lightly as the glass figures in his book shop were a reminder of his little sister Laura. He was speechless and didn't know what to say except for one broken word, "L – Laura…"
Blanche took another step back, knowing that she better be on her way, as she didn't have the money to pay nor had the time. She needed to find where she could get the street car, "Um, excuse me – sir, can you tell me where I can get the Streetcar named Desire?" She asked hastily as she didn't want to stay in the store any longer.
Tom slowly lifted his head to look at Blanche, tears rolling down his cheeks as his eyes were full of guilt from his past; for leaving his little sister. Not caring for her when he took off, though he responded in a low harsh voice, "Leave my shop and head down a little from shop and the streetcar will pick you up there – just leave – please."
Blanche curtsied slightly before she quickly took her leave from Tom's book shop. The feeling she felt from him made her feel terrible, almost as if it were the time when she blamed herself for Alan's death. She followed the man's directions and was soon on the Streetcar named Desire to see her sister, Stella again.