The "Letter Table"

This old farm table has been in my family since the 1930's. Back then, my father lived in Garden City, Long Island with his mother and father and two brothers.

The three little boys were going through a particularly destructive phase, and my poor grandmother was practically at her wits end trying to civilize her rowdy offspring. One day, she was driving home from running errands, and stopped at a roadside farm stand to buy some vegetables. The farmer was using this table to display his wares, and my grandmother was struck with an idea. After selecting her produce, she asked the man how much he wanted for the table, and somehow she convinced him to sell it to her for 50 cents! (Bear in mind, this was during the Depression.)

When the table was delivered, my grandmother told her boys they could do whatever they wanted to it, but to please leave the rest of the furniture and household decorations alone. With great glee, they each carved their names into the table top, and then used a soldering iron to burn the letters deep into the wood. I suppose that once they were given the freedom to be destructive, the thrill wore off, because the table remained otherwise intact.

Over the years, it became a tradition that each new family member carve their name or initials into the table top, which is why it has become known as the "Letter Table". My father and mother, my sister, uncles and aunts, cousins, my husband, and now my three sons have all made their mark.

Today, this venerable piece serves as my desk, and so I am surrounded by my family on a daily basis, even though many of them are no longer with us. Despite the fact that it's beaten up and somewhat battered, I value this old thing very highly -- it's definitely at the top of my list of Things To Be Saved From A Burning House!