September 19, 2003

Ryan's Basement

Ryan's basement is my number one hangout spot in all of Fredonia. If Zakk or I wish to hang out with our hobbit like friend, we simply walk over to his house, knock on his door or sometimes window, and he let's us in to his house. The second we enter Zakk and I will walk down the stairs and duck our heads before entering 'the lair'.

The reason we have to duck our heads is simple; Ryan and his mother are the only one's short enough to enter without hitting their heads on the ceiling as they walk down the stairs. Anyone over five feet has to duck, but once in the basement, the ceiling gets a bit higher and you can be up to six feet tall before having to duck.

The second you hit the bottom of the stairs, the first thing you see is carpet. The carpet is old, blue, and musty smelling. It's worn fibers underfoot as you walk from one end of the basement to the other and back again, as there is only one exit. Stepping away from the stairs and into the basement proper, you can get your first good look at the worn and homey area.

Next to the stairs and on the left as you walk in sits an old and rarely used exercise machine, rust and dirty clothes covering its frame. Next to that lies the computer desk, housing an old Gateway computer and a printer, which emanate a quiet hum when they are on. The desk itself is covered in papers, pens, and the empty cans and bottles of various drinks. A comfortably worn, brown cloth swivel chair sits before the desk, it's back missing and it's wheels squeaky.

Next to the desk lies a set of cupboards lined against the outside wall. They are covered in even more paper and other miscellaneous paraphernalia. A small rectangular window sits above them about a foot from the ceiling itself, letting in fresh air and sounds from the outside. The wall opposite of the computer desk holds a closet full of clothes and strange odds and ends that Ryan's mother has collected through the years. A set of plastic chairs sit next to the closet, covered in books, clothes, paper, pens, and cards of several types.

A high white lacquered table sits quietly next to this, leaving a small pathway between it and the shelf on the wall opposite, to the rest of the room. This table houses a small ziggurat built from various pop cans, as well as many different drawing supplies and loose types of change. Incense, pens, pencils, rulers, and other unidentifiable objects will sometimes litter the top as well, but are mostly kept within the two drawers on the table. Several cat toys and a heater sit beneath the table it's self, and have been rarely moved from their location.

Continuing towards the back of the room, and still looking at the left, a TV stand comes into view. An old TV and playstation sit there, surrounded by dust and CD's of all types. An old glass jar filled with stale chocolate sits on a shelf to the right of the TV covered in a small layer of dust. An even smaller end table and a pink footstool sit in front of the stand, the table rarely used except to house even more change, pop cans, and an old tape deck that never works. The stool is well used and shifts from its position rarely if ever.

A bed, now a couch sits against the back wall, comfortable and inviting for those who want to rest for a bit. The plastic sheeting creating a quiet rustling as you sit on the plaid blankets, and several pillows surround you with the scent of cat. A low end table sits before the bed turned couch holding only a book of matches and an incense burner. It is here that various scents such as musk, sandalwood, lilac, and rose blend to form a unique smell that permeates the basement entirely.

To the right of the bed turned couch lies a small shelf filled with cards, papers and books that look like small towers stacked as they are. Even further to the right lays 'the forbidden zone', a smaller room cordoned off by a blue gauze curtain and an area of the basement ruled off limits by Ryan's mom.

Moving right along, we come to two, count them, two, comfy looking chairs. Both of them are broken and only one can be sat in. On the left is a pinkish chair that matches the foot stool that sits by the TV, it sits squarely on the floor and is the more comfortable of the two. On the right is a green chair that still has its bottom. It smells like cat pee and the seat itself is missing. Ryan keeps his papers and other important but non- necessary objects there.

As we come to the last parts of the basement, we pass over an alcove that contains another off limits area and head straight for the only bookshelf in 'the lair'. It is made of a light colored wood and sits at about neck height. The only things that Ryan keeps on this bookshelf are his "Star Wars" memorabilia. I've never touched them so I don't know what he has exactly, and I don't think he does either. All of the boxes are covered in a film of dust that comes off on your fingers when you touch it.

To the right of this is the stairs where we have entered, and sadly it is time for us to go home now. Hopefully everything is as it should be in 'the lair', and with one last glance we depart for the outside world. We shall forever remember that this is Ryan's basement, our home away from home.

The End.