674 Santa Rosa, Berkeley, California

674 Santa Rosa my childhood home for almost 10 years was 674 Santa Rosa Berkeley California A five bedroom adobe California home on the side of a hill at the bottom of the Berkeley hills you entered on the top floor across the street you entered on the bottom floor thus it was in the Berkeley Hills the house had a large deck with a perfect view of the golden gate we used to sit outside watching the sunset as we ate dinner my Mom and Dad would have their nightly cocktails on the deck before retreating inside to continue their nightly fights and arguments I grew up downstairs hearing their constant words of hatred, dismay and outrage my parents were the proverbial odd couple perhaps never should have married but despite the hate there was still some love that kept them together throughout the years we had a rec room with a pool table and I hung out there with my friends my mother tolerated my friends most of the time she would be somewhat sober until after they left and the madness came over her as she drank her whisky and wine the basement room was added later was my younger brother’s room later was my room whenever I visited from college days hiding out downstairs avoiding my mad mother my old room lay abandoned filled with books thousands of books that I had read over the years when she died I should have taken all the books instead I took about one hundred just no space for the books of my childhood memories National Poetry month day two prompt specific place poem 674 Santa Rosa Berkeley California