Living Out of the Box #AtoZChallenge

My memories of the Big Black Military Boxes goes back to my childhood where my Dad came hopping out of an Army truck with these, after his tenure in some remote location. Be it Kargil or some desert in Rajasthan, these boxes were always his companion.

Another vague memory that pops up in my mind is finding these boxes on trains, the soldiers trying their best to tuck them underneath the seats, but in vain.

Little did I know that I would also have an everlasting relationship with them.

They say, even if your husband is not with you, his military boxes will always be! How true!

When I took a look at his quarters in Pathankot, other than his belongings in apple-pie order, what caught my eye was the number of black boxes he owned- in both metal and wood. It was seen everywhere, but precisely stacked, as neat as a pin. Whoa! But, twenty-three of them?

When we moved to Pune after three months, I had the privilege to unlock and thus access them. I was expecting a stag head or even a tiger head which could be mounted on the walls of my new home. How peppy and perky was I!

But no! Nothing could prepare me to unleash the horror that lay within. Two trunks were full of books, another one solely for his winter clothes, next for his uniforms, another for his shoes, a small one for his caps, and the list seemed endless and unimaginable.

Still, I learned to live with it. Literally.

These big black boxes are unavoidable in our lives. So, better make good use of it. I found out later, from other Army wives of course, that these boxes served as their bed, chair, a convertible sofa set, dinner table during field postings and the likes. I decided to use them as his Speaker stand, side tables and as an Iron Board. They are quite useful as a travel seat while waiting for the train in railway stations too.

Where do you think the Buddha is resting? Or the speakers for that matter?

Alas! How I wish they were of a different color! Too much of black is depressing. Too difficult to brighten up a space! And when it is also decked up with your husband’s Name, rank and unit, you do not have any other option but to neatly cover it with a table cloth or nag day and night to part with two or three of them to paint with your favorite colors and designs to look them presentable for your store room at least.

It’s funny in a way, because, in your otherwise active and dynamic life, these boxes are the only things that are constant. Wherever you go, I will follow………

Oh, the tiniest of them all! Of course for my shoes!

Ah well, I have made sure that I have added a dozen more to the 23 he owned before our wedding!

So, what would you do if you have these unavoidable black boxes at your home?  Will you re-decorate it? Or simply dump it in your garage? Share your ideas with me because I’m still not attached to them.

I am Married to the Olive Green and I’m writing about the 26 things which I get to do/experience that you as a Civilian wife do not! 

I hope you come back again tomorrow!

Meanwhile, here is an easy Chicken recipe from my Food Blog to try out!

I’m on co-host Pam’s Unconventional Alliance Team along with Parul from Happiness and Food, Rajlakshmi from The Twinkle Eyed Traveler and Destiny’s Child and Claire from A Field Trip Life