Just these past few weeks, Toppie has had to move out of his grandmother’s house, as the old place must soon be sold. Toppie thought this would be a good time to play a recording he did back in 2009, in which he takes you on a little tour of the home where his father grew up and where Toppie also spent so much time in over the years.
Home is so Sad
by Philip LarkinHome is so sad. It stays as it was left,
Shaped to the comfort of the last to go
As if to win them back. Instead, bereft
Of anyone to please, it withers so,
Having no heart to put aside the theftAnd turn again to what it started as,
A joyous shot at how things ought to be,
Long fallen wide. You can see how it was:
Look at the pictures and the cutlery.
The music in the piano stool. That vase.
Write to Toppie at Smellcast@aol.com. Leave a comment right here on Toppie’s blog. Friend Toppie on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
Click the link below to listen to the Smellcast, episode 164.
Tags: family, gay podcast, house tour, melancholy, modest living, moving, old house, smellcast, toppie smellie
The Smellcast 
April 28, 2011 at 2:06 pm |
Just listening to it now. Cool. But I have a question: is this you giving us the tour, or Walter Snicker-snicker?
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April 28, 2011 at 11:31 pm |
Hah! I totally understand the confusion — because I forgot to tell everyone that this particular episode was recorded a long time ago — back when I thought (for some odd, delirious reason) that I needed to disguise my real voice. You know. Because my secret identity is soooo important (da-UHHH!). So anyways… back then, I felt the need to alter my voice (and yes… it sounds EXACTLY like Walter Snicker-Snicker). By the time I really took to podcasting for realz, I had finally figured out that disguising my voice was really quite silly and quite unnecessary. HAH!!!!
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April 28, 2011 at 9:02 pm |
BTW, you have no idea how excited I am that you are coming back for REALZ! I’m really sorry you had to leave your home, but think how lucky you were to have that house be such a family anchor and place full of wonderful memories for so long. Peace.
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April 28, 2011 at 11:39 pm |
Thank you Jay. I am totally psyched to get back to recording for my ‘lil’ show. I’m bummed about moving, but realistic about its necessity. And as you so rightly point out — there will ALWAYS be my memories of my grandmother’s house. Oddly enough, I NEVER dream about the house I grew up in with my parents (where they live now). If there is a “home” in my dreams — it is always my grandmother’s house.
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