The Talking Chair | Teen Ink

The Talking Chair

March 26, 2013
By IndigoElisabeth SILVER, Woodbury, New Jersey
IndigoElisabeth SILVER, Woodbury, New Jersey
5 articles 1 photo 171 comments

Favorite Quote:
John 1:1


The chair rests by the fireplace. I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t there. It seems placid, quiet, but full of mystery. I want to know its secret.
It has two curved rockers at the bottom, which cause it to sway sometimes when the wind blows, like the chair is dancing. Maybe it is.
The dark wood finish is in contrast to the rest of the room, which is painted pale white. It makes the chair seem wiser, older, more confident. When I sit beside it (I never sit in the chair) I can smell the musty odor of old wood, but on this chair, it’s intriguing, like foreign cologne.
The wood on the sides is worn where many hands have touched it, over and over. The worn spots are like wrinkles, I think. After all, the chair is very old.
Sometimes, when I sit beside the chair, I imagine it could speak to me- tell me all its secrets and all it has seen and heard in the hundred years of its existence. It shines dark and vivid against the white room, fading into night, and I wonder if maybe, just maybe, one day the chair will open its decorative curlicue and start speaking. But that’s wishful thinking, chairs can’t talk.
Probably.


The author's comments:
This is a super-short piece I wrote for a writing class. Enjoy!

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This article has 37 comments.


on Apr. 18 2013 at 10:41 am
IndigoElisabeth SILVER, Woodbury, New Jersey
5 articles 1 photo 171 comments

Favorite Quote:
John 1:1

Actually, no. Not really. There is a chair in my house that is about a hundred years old, but the chair in this piece is not the same as that chair. Artistic license, I guess. I used the real chair as inspiration.

on Apr. 18 2013 at 9:53 am
IndigoElisabeth SILVER, Woodbury, New Jersey
5 articles 1 photo 171 comments

Favorite Quote:
John 1:1

Thanks! I appreciate it!

on Apr. 17 2013 at 7:27 pm
livebeautifulx3, Whitestone, New York
0 articles 0 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt

I love how you took an idea, especially about an ordinary thing, and brought a new perspective to it. I think that's one of the greatest things in writing. Beautiful piece :)

on Apr. 13 2013 at 10:10 pm
IndigoElisabeth SILVER, Woodbury, New Jersey
5 articles 1 photo 171 comments

Favorite Quote:
John 1:1

Thank you!!! You made me so happy!

Hanban12 ELITE said...
on Apr. 13 2013 at 8:53 pm
Hanban12 ELITE, Lake Worth, Florida
133 articles 7 photos 631 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them."
Henry David Thoreau

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep; slowly, and then all at once."
John Green

I loved reading this- it was very mystifying and intriguing. The descriptions and imagery were perfect! I love how you posed questions about how maybe chairs have human qualities/personalities. Very unique, and Ur VERY talented :P

on Apr. 12 2013 at 10:14 pm
IndigoElisabeth SILVER, Woodbury, New Jersey
5 articles 1 photo 171 comments

Favorite Quote:
John 1:1

Thank you! I'm so happy when someone likes my work. :)

on Apr. 12 2013 at 8:27 pm
LexusMarie PLATINUM, Las Cruces, New Mexico
27 articles 0 photos 423 comments

Favorite Quote:
The more control you have over yourself, the less control others have over you.

This was wonderful to read.. I mean a simple subject and a simple story turned into something so captivating and intriguing. I love the line about how it smelled like foreign cologne. The descriptions are right on, perfect. Word choices are also great. Wonderful job!

on Apr. 10 2013 at 6:51 pm
I no that this is fiction, but is this chair actically based on a chair u have?

on Apr. 5 2013 at 5:05 pm
IndigoElisabeth SILVER, Woodbury, New Jersey
5 articles 1 photo 171 comments

Favorite Quote:
John 1:1

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

on Apr. 5 2013 at 3:45 pm
lucybrown SILVER, Blacksburg, Virginia
7 articles 0 photos 112 comments

Favorite Quote:
The wastebasket is a writer's best friend. ~Isaac Bashevis Singer

First things first, but not necessarily in that order. ~ From Doctor Who

Wow, this was a really well written piece! I enjoyed it - I love your descriptions especially "I can smell the musty odor of old wood, but on this chair, it's intriguing, like foreign cologne" and "it shines dark and vivid against the white room, fading into night..."  The imagery in this piece is very well done and you did a good job at hooking the reader with the beginning sentence.  I also really like the last paragraph; it does a good job of making the piece seem finished and it's an interesting way to end it.  I don't really have any criticism; this was a very good piece and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! 

on Apr. 4 2013 at 9:41 pm
IndigoElisabeth SILVER, Woodbury, New Jersey
5 articles 1 photo 171 comments

Favorite Quote:
John 1:1

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!

on Apr. 4 2013 at 8:45 pm
Yousmell-likealoser BRONZE, Belgium, Wisconsin
4 articles 5 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life may not always be what you want, but life is all you've got; so stick a flower in your bellybutton and be happy!"

I really liked it! It was such a nice little piece. I loved the descriptions and how your writing moved with your thoughts (when you were talking about how you hoped the chair could talk some day and how you wondered about its past). Really nice work. :)

on Apr. 4 2013 at 6:53 pm
IndigoElisabeth SILVER, Woodbury, New Jersey
5 articles 1 photo 171 comments

Favorite Quote:
John 1:1

Thank you so much! You made my day!

musicgirl808 said...
on Apr. 4 2013 at 6:20 pm
I am excited to use this website!

on Apr. 4 2013 at 2:59 pm
tianna-alexa BRONZE, Minden, Nevada
4 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
A writer never has a vacation. For a writer, life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.
— Eugene Ionesco

As well as pretty much everything that comes out of John Green's mouth.

* definitely Spell-check, you have failed me. xD

on Apr. 4 2013 at 2:58 pm
tianna-alexa BRONZE, Minden, Nevada
4 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
A writer never has a vacation. For a writer, life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.
— Eugene Ionesco

As well as pretty much everything that comes out of John Green's mouth.

Wow, great work! Simple yet  so, SO evocative. Your imagery was exquisitely written. I can definintely see why this made Editor's Choice; congratulations, and thanks for sharing! :)

DuaaSam said...
on Apr. 4 2013 at 2:48 pm
This was excellent, seriously. That is how I like most of my compositions to be, ending on a mysterious, intriguing note. I'd like myself to produce such a piece someday. P.S. I might use the idea for class. I mean, its just that awesome.