Neighbors once borrowed from each other. Everyone knew one another and spent many evenings on their front porches, visiting and swapping tales. You might not be familiar with the inside of their houses, but you had a lived experience with their front porch. The cool of the evening chat was welcome. Little was thought about what the neighbor’s house looked like on the inside. Coal mining towns had similar houses built by the Coal Company for the workers. A kitchen, living room, bedroom or two, and if lucky, a little restroom. The roofs were all alike. Built side by side, you could smell what was for dinner next door. You could also hear conversations not meant for your ears without trying. Life was shared outside; inside were secrets.

‘Go next door and borrow a cup of sugar,’ Neva J said to Billy B. ‘Here is the cup,’ Neva J noted with a smile. ‘Wait on the porch while Matilda gets the sugar,’ Neva J noted.

‘Come in, Billy B. I don’t think you have been inside before,’ Matilda said. ‘Do you like to play pool? There is a pool table downstairs in the basement,’ Matilda said, grinning. ‘Herbert is down there now playing; I hear the balls cracking,’ Matilda said, laughing.

‘I did not know Matilda and Herb had a basement,’ Billy B thought. ‘These appear to be the stairs to the basement; I hear the pool balls striking each other,’ Billy B mused as he climbed down the steps.

‘Welcome, Billy B. Come on down. I bet you did not realize our house was so big it appears very small from the outside,’ Herb winked. ‘In fact, the inside dimensions are different than the outside dimensions,’ Herb smiled. ‘A neat architectural trick,’ Herb laughed. ‘I got lost in here for a month once; now I trail twine to find my way back to Matilda,’ Herb said softly. ‘The Snider family, who owned your family’s house before you came, lost their son here; we looked and looked but never found him. Sometimes I think I hear him crying,’ Herb said with a gleam in his eye. ‘So I hear you are a pool player as good as Minnesota Fats in his heyday,’ Herb said. ‘Fats played here many times; I think he is still here…somewhere,’ Herb mused. ‘Before you go, Matilda will take you to the third floor so you can admire all you can see of our little village,’ Herb said.

‘Hi, Neva. Billy B is downstairs with Herb playing pool. Would you like to go to the third floor with me and see the view of our village?’ Matilda asked. ‘Take this twine with you so we can find our way back,’ Matilda said, laughing.