This week’s prompt for Sue Vincent’s #writephoto ~ Worn
For visually challenged writers, the image shows deeply worn stone steps, scattered with plants growing in the cracks, leading up to a blue-painted door.

Before Cissey died she stood in the ginnel looking up at doors. Nothing had changed. The steps they used to climb up and down to school, to work to home. Still there worn and full of stories. When babies the pram would be stood at the bottom of the steps and the door was left open so a watchful eye was kept.
As Children they’d perch on the steps and shell the peas and peel carrots and potatoes. Each would have a job. The house was small for a family of ten so often they spilled over on to the steps. Noisy, rowdy, quiet pensive, laughing crying all life flowed out of the two up two down housr on to the steps.
One by one they left the safety of the home, walked down the steps either with Dad or Mum or alone to set up a new life. Some went far some just to another street.
They always came back, for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, christenings, Christmas and funerals. Always at any event they spilled out on to the steps.
As time past the traffic on the steps become less yet somehow the indents looked accentuated deeper worn. Over the years the generations grew until there was no one left to truly know the significance of the worn steps. Who’s feet had left their mark on history.
Sell it the young ones said, not knowing the reasons for the worn steps. They painted the door, they painted the railings, they thought about repairing the steps but left them.
The for sale sign went up, people came to see the house. They saw the potential, they saw the new paint, the newly added kitchen and bathroom. They didn’t see the generations of family on the steps so many joys and dramas.
Nobody saw them but a special few felt them on the worn out steps. One couple saw them too and they bought the house and the steps.

Jul 30, 2020 @ 10:59:12
Heart-rending, sis 😍
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:03:32
They call it life sis 💜💜 how are you today 💜
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:06:33
I’m good sis. Nearly added 10k to the wip this week!!!
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:13:52
Well done Sis that brilliant, I am aching to know what happens next , it exciting 💜💜💜
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:30:32
I’ll be getting you to read it soon enough, hopefully!!!
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:37:41
I really am looking forward to that 🥰
Jul 30, 2020 @ 13:23:22
🥰🥰🥰
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:06:39
How are you? Xx
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:15:23
Resting up frustrated , still smiling and luckily though still bleeding it is slowing down 💜
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:30:07
Still praying for you. Hubby Desrest sends his get well soon wishes, too 🥰
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:37:04
Thank you both ,thats a real boon 💜💜💜
Jul 30, 2020 @ 13:23:02
🥰🥰🥰
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:15:32
Lovely ❤
Jul 30, 2020 @ 11:16:45
Thank you, the prompt is so evocative 💜
Jul 30, 2020 @ 12:07:00
This is such a heartwarming story Willow.
Jul 30, 2020 @ 14:01:43
This is really lovely. I can imagine the generations wearing the steps down. Beautiful post.
Jul 30, 2020 @ 16:53:49
Thank you Di, lots of my memories there 🌹
Jul 30, 2020 @ 20:13:58
I thought so……………
Jul 30, 2020 @ 14:26:02
Love this, Willow!
Jul 30, 2020 @ 16:13:41
Thank you 💜
Jul 30, 2020 @ 15:46:34
I love the bittersweet ending.:-)
Jul 30, 2020 @ 15:59:34
Yes indeed, there are a lot of dear memories in there 💜
Jul 30, 2020 @ 16:15:05
Simply beautiful and filling!
Jul 30, 2020 @ 16:19:15
The photo really told a story ☺️
Jul 30, 2020 @ 18:19:56
I agree with you!
Jul 30, 2020 @ 16:17:54
Lovely story, Willow.
Jul 30, 2020 @ 16:52:57
Thank you Dale, lots of my life in there 💜🌹
Jul 30, 2020 @ 17:16:43
🧡🧡
Jul 30, 2020 @ 17:33:21
This is truly lovely, Willow. And, on top of that, you know what a ginnel is:)Few do so outside of Yorkshire. Oddly, my great grandmother’s ‘pet’ name was Cissy. xx
Jul 30, 2020 @ 16:07:51
Well that’s strange, the name Cissey was not the first one I chose. Something made me change it from Katy . There are a lot of my childhood memories in this. We have family up north so I know a ginnel when I see one. I am glad you liked it Sue. 😀💜💜
Jul 30, 2020 @ 16:20:54
Ah… that explains why it feels so much like home 🙂 xx
Jul 30, 2020 @ 16:52:24
💜💜
Jul 30, 2020 @ 17:32:03
❤
Jul 31, 2020 @ 08:14:19
Thank you Sue 💜
Jul 31, 2020 @ 08:04:30
Aw lovely
Jul 31, 2020 @ 08:15:46
Thank you positive I hope 💜
Jul 31, 2020 @ 11:36:13
Homage to your book Dead Flies and Sherry Triffle??
Pasted it on your Facebook page 💜
Jul 31, 2020 @ 21:51:51
Splendid!
Jul 31, 2020 @ 22:11:48
It is isn’t it 🤣😂 🤣 😂
Jul 31, 2020 @ 17:53:12
I am glad the house found new owners. I like the progression of spilling out onto those steps both when the children were young and when the children came back as adults for parties.
Jul 31, 2020 @ 18:01:07
This is very much how my family life was 💜
Aug 01, 2020 @ 05:34:03
A lovely, nostalgic story Willow. The good old days indeed.
Aug 01, 2020 @ 05:35:06
Thank you Kim it was a joy to write lots of memories there💜
Aug 01, 2020 @ 11:07:29
Simply delightful. There’s a dip in the edge of the wooden bar in my local. Only a few of us still remember the chap that stood there year in year out subconsciously stroking the wood with his thumb! BTW, I know what a ginnel is thanks to Corrie – down here we call them twittens!
Aug 01, 2020 @ 11:34:44
Hi Keith, I am glad you liked the story lots of personal memories in there. I know what a twitten is too, I am from London originally, now in Berkshire, so I know them a alleys, snikkets, middens, cut, lanes and probably more, the ginnel comes from my dad’s side of the family over from Dublin and set up in Manchester. We are lucky to have such a diverse and colourful language. I think that’s amazing about the dip in the bar at your local …a touch of Thumb and Groove💜
Aug 05, 2020 @ 12:46:26
There are folks who know a good thing when they see it! And welcome the history of such places 🙂
Aug 05, 2020 @ 12:59:35
Yes indeed that’s very true 💜
Aug 06, 2020 @ 08:26:49
Thank you Sue 💜