The Chair Nobody Sat In

Posted on 2026-10-09 by Ol' Big Jim

A Strange Tale of Piedmont

There was one chair at Blackwelder’s Hardware nobody ever seemed to sit in. Mind you, it wasn’t anything special. Just an old oak ladder-back chair with one spindle missing and enough scratches on it to tell half the history of Calhoun County.

It sat over by the cracker barrel, close enough to the potbellied stove to keep your feet warm in winter, but far enough away that your britches didn’t catch fire. Any sensible man would’ve picked that chair first. Nobody ever did.

Now don’t get the wrong idea. It wasn’t empty. Not exactly. Folks gathered there every afternoon. Coffee was poured. Lies were improved upon. Somebody usually claimed Alabama would’ve won if the referee hadn’t been blind.

The chair just… stayed open. Every now and then somebody new in town would wander in, look around, and make straight for it. Before they could sit… some old fellow would say, “You might be happier in this one.”

He’d pat another chair. Nobody ever explained why. The newcomer usually shrugged and sat somewhere else. Truth be told… most folks forgot about it before the conversation was over.

One rainy October afternoon I stopped by for a lantern wick. Mr. Blackwelder wrapped it in brown paper while three or four of us argued over whether squirrels remembered where they’d buried every acorn.

Old Earl claimed they did. Percy insisted they forgot half of ’em. “That’s why we’ve still got oak trees,” Percy said. Everybody laughed.

Then a traveling salesman wandered in. Didn’t know a soul. He nodded politely. Looked around. Saw the empty chair. Started toward it. Mr. Blackwelder never even looked up.

“Coffee?”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

He poured the fellow a cup. Set it on the counter. Then pointed to another chair. “That one’s a mite more comfortable.”

The salesman thanked him and sat down. Spent the next half hour telling us about selling wash tubs from Gadsden to Rome. Never once asked about the empty chair.

When he finally left, I looked over at Mr. Blackwelder. “You ever gonna tell me why nobody sits there?” He folded another paper sack. Thought about it a moment. Then said, “I reckon somebody always is.” That was all. Nobody asked another question. There wasn’t one to ask.

Years later, after Blackwelder’s had closed and the windows had gone dusty, I happened to look through the front glass one October afternoon. The shelves were empty. The cracker barrel was gone. The stove had long since disappeared.

But there… right where it’d always been… sat that old ladder-back chair. Empty. Just as it had always been.

Or maybe… occupied.

Depends on who you ask.

⁂

Have You Seen The Irish Blackthorn?

Some folks remember The Irish Blackthorn leaning against that old chair. Others insist it was standing by the front door. Funny how memory rearranges a room.

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About Ol' Big Jim

Jim L. Wright is a storyteller with a lifetime of experiences as colorful as the characters he creates. Born and raised in Piedmont, Alabama, Jim’s connection to the land, history, and people of the region runs deep. His debut novel New Yesterdays is set in his hometown, where he grew up listening to stories of the past—stories that sparked his imagination and curiosity for history. Today, Jim lives in Leeds, Alabama, with his husband Zeek, a tour operator who shares his passion for adventure and discovery. Known affectionately as “Ol’ Big Jim,” he has had a diverse career that includes time as a storekeeper, an embalmer, a hospital orderly, and a medical coder. There are even whispers—unconfirmed, of course—that he once played piano in a house of ill repute. No matter the job, one thing has remained constant: Jim is a teller of tales. His stories—sometimes humorous, sometimes thought-provoking—are often inspired by his unique life experiences. Many of these tales can be found on his popular blog, Ol’ Big Jim, where he continues to share his musings with a loyal readership. Jim’s adventures have taken him far beyond Alabama. For seven years, he lived in Amman, Jordan, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. His time there, spent in smoky coffee shops, enjoying a hookah and a cuppa dark, foamy Turkish coffee while scribbling in his ever-present notebook, deeply influenced his worldview and his writing. When Jim isn’t writing, he’s thinking about writing. His stories, whether tall tales from his past or imaginative reimagining of historical events, reflect a life lived fully and authentically. With New Yesterdays, Jim brings readers a rich tapestry of history, fantasy, and human connection. Visit his blog at www.olbigjim.com to read more of his stories, or follow him on social media to keep up with his latest musings and projects, one of which is a series that follows Bonita McCauley, an amateur detective who gets into some very sticky situations. His book, New Yesterdays, can be found at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.
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16 Responses to The Chair Nobody Sat In

  1. Vero's avatar Vero says:
    2026-10-09 at 09:12

    Goose bumps!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. mgrecu1866's avatar mgrecu1866 says:
    2026-10-09 at 12:20

    I really enjoyed how quietly unsettling this is. Nothing dramatic happens, and yet that empty chair becomes more disturbing with every paragraph. “I reckon somebody always is” is such a simple line, but it changes the whole story. Sometimes the best ghost stories are the ones that never explain themselves.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  3. joynealkidney's avatar joynealkidney says:
    2026-10-09 at 15:23

    Yes, goosebumps. I love it that you were shopping for a lantern wick. I’ve done that myself, but forgot about such things long ago. . . lump in throat.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  4. John W. Howell's avatar John W. Howell says:
    2026-10-09 at 20:01

    Great story, Jim

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. John W. Howell's avatar John W. Howell says:
    2026-10-10 at 07:10

    I’ve seen that chair (one like it) many times. It always amazes me how everyone seems to understand its special nature.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • Ol' Big Jim's avatar Ol' Big Jim says:
      2026-10-10 at 08:16

      Yessir, they do have a special nature don’t they, John? We had one in our store and it was always reserved for certain people. If you were in it when they came in, you best be jumpin’!

      Like

      Reply
  6. Linda Raha's avatar Linda Raha says:
    2026-10-10 at 10:54

    Great story!!! Thank you for sharing it with us! You are a wonderful storyteller!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  7. T. W. Dittmer's avatar T. W. Dittmer says:
    2026-10-10 at 11:55

    The chair in Blackwelder’s being always empty and Mr. Blackwelder saying he reckoned someone was always sitting in it is fascinating to me, Jim. I think you sitting close to the cracker barrel was good.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

What did you think of this tall tale? Let me know in the comments section; I'd love to hear from you!