My mahogony server

How could I forget the mahogony server in my parent's dining room.  I'm not implying that it was ugly (which it was) or that it smelled (it reeked of Pledge furniture polish) or that is was the least bit unsafe (I cut my elbow on it's square metal door knobs when I was two years old).  No,no. . .that server was  the family file cabinet.  Sure, it had a few kinks here and there but that server served the family well.  And stored some precious memories to boot. 

The long top drawer which stretched end to end was filled with monthly bills, old report cards, and cards my mother saved for one reason or the other.  Right below a much leaner drawer pulled out to show utensils in green felt-lined separator compartments.  Dinner forks, about eight, then salad forks, spoons large and small, and knives rested neatly in columns side by side by side 

Below the utensils were two bigger compartments, one piled with linen tablecloths and  embroidered napkins. Underneath was more accessories like pot holders, oven mits, towels, and dishcloths, even an apron if it fit.Those were the four drawers of our server, but wait, I haven't finished.  On each side of the smaller drawers a long cabinet was fixed.  The left one opened to store liquor the names ranged from Hennessey, to Jim Beam,then Black Label to J&B. Oh yes, there was a shaker and strainer in front of them all. 

Now the other side was the important side.  It had treasures galore.  On the back top shelf of the cabinet were my dad's store ledgers, right above it lied a wide book of checks.  The bottom housed a brown metal strong box and an accordian type filing case the contents of which only mom and dad saw. 

That concludes my little tour of our server, 'cept what made me hate it so.  The culprit were it's brass colored door-knobs.  Yes it was those tiny trapezoidal door knobs on that smelly mahogony server I still blame.  Who wouldn't? They caused my very first cut.