"I Don't Think You Heard"
I know I'm supposed to be working on my Aisha Clanclan fic…but right now…I have no idea in what direction to take it. (ACK!! And that is SO frustrating!!) But this idea came to me by listening to the song it's based on, and I just had to write something based on it. This is my first songfic, so let me know what you think of it, OK?
And now, time for the disclaimer so that nobody sues me.
Swat Kats
is copyrighted property of Hanna-Barbera/Turner Inc. Mrs. Briggs and Melanie are my characters.The story's title and lyrics at the beginning and end of the story are taken from "Great Provider" found on Barenaked Ladies' album Maybe You Should Drive.
You and I have been through this before
I owe you my whole life, nothing more
I never said that I liked you the most
You're my father, I'm your son, who's the Holy Ghost?
It was 7AM, thirty minutes after sunrise. All was quiet and still, save for a passenger jet flying towards the airport. The sky resembled a sea of liquid gold, complete with wave crests of long, thin cirrus clouds. On the ground, a young shekat of about 17 carried a rather heavy cardboard box towards a car, whose driver waited impatiently, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. After practically dropping the box into the trunk, she went back into the house to gather more of her things.
She came out again, struggling to drag a black plastic bag behind her. Exasperated and almost out of breath, she called out to the shekat in the car, "You can help me carry some of this, you know!"
"And miss out watching your scrawny ass kill yourself? Nah, I like being where I'm at, but thanks for the offer, Callie!" her friend yelled back. "Besides, you know that your mother doesn't like me – "
"She *pant* doesn't like *wheeze* anybody, Mel…*hack*…" Callie let her bag go and rested her hand on the car as she bent over, trying to catch her breath.
Reluctantly, Mel opened the car door and helped Callie sit the bag on the backseat. She then stared at her friend's appearance (in addition to her exhaustion, Callie looked like she was raised from the dead), then burst into manic laughter. Callie was not amused.
"What the hell is so funny?"
"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" she asked as she fumbled in her purse, looking for her compact case, still giggling.
"I stayed up all night packing up this stuff. What'd you expect? Miss Congeniality?"
Both of them shuddered, as the image of Mel's older sister (think Grease's Patty Simcox as a happy homemaker on Prozac) danced in their heads too vividly for their tastes.
"Speaking of which, my mother told me to thank her for her IN-ter-es-ting (Callie stuck her finger down her throat at this) fruitcake." The both of them were laughing and mock gagging when Callie's mother appeared at the doorway, arms folded. Neither of them noticed until she cleared her throat loud enough for both of them to stop and for Callie to turn a bright shade of pink.
"Well, I suppose that you wanna say some final words to your warden now." Callie stifled a quick giggle, as Mrs. Briggs frowned slightly. "If anything goes down…don't call me, cuz I'll be rooting for her!" Mel scurried back inside the car, as Callie stuck her tongue out at her.
"I should have figured as much, you little traitor," she reprimanded in jest as Mel was making faces at her. She then walked back towards her mother, shaking her head.
Mrs. Briggs' facial expression remained unchanged as Callie finally reached her.
"Good morning, Mama. I didn't think you'd be up this early."
"Yes, well, I had a hard time sleeping, so I decided to stop fighting it and have an early breakfast."
"That's good."
An uneasy silence followed. Callie's hands were balled firmly in her pockets; Mrs. Briggs' safely tucked away underneath the folds of her arms.
"So, today's the big day."
"Yep."
"And I suppose that this is when you start to become Ms. Big Career Woman."
"Mama, please don't start that again…"
"Callie, your father worked so that you didn't have to. Don't you know how many people your age dream that they could enjoy the luxuries that you have?"
Callie went inside the house to grab the last box in the hallway, and her mother promptly followed her.
"Why are you carrying that heavy thing? Let Murray take care of that! Murray, Murray…"
"I can do this myself, Mama!"
"I saw you struggling out there with all of those bags earlier. Let go, and here, Murray," she said to the towering figure that just ended the hallway, "please carry that out to Miss Melanie's…car."
"See Mama, there you go again, always being so judgmental!"
"About what?"
"Don't act coy around me."
"Coy about what? I have no idea what you're referring to!"
"God, you are so frustrating!" Callie stormed outside towards the car. Once she was in the car, it would be the end of a life surrounded by false facades and pretense, and she was not going to miss one bit of it.
But then she made the mistake of looking back.
OK, OK! I'm sorry for what I said. It's just that you are so…infuriating sometimes! Why is it so difficult for you to understand that it's not the '50s anymore? When I die, I don't want to be just Calico Eileen Briggs, daughter of Richard Briggs, the business tycoon! I owe it to myself to become the best that I can be! No one around here expects me to make an effort, not even you! And that is so insulting to my intelligence and my abilities. Plus, it really, really hurts.
Look, I know it's not really your fault; you were raised this way, and it was all you looked forward to. But please understand, that is not the life that I want. So please, let's try and put aside our differences and let me try to set my foot out into the world.
Mrs. Briggs stood there and felt so light-headed she could have fainted. This was the last thing she wanted to happen. She started to open her mouth, but sound escaped her for the moment.
Is it so wrong to be afraid for your child? I know how this world is. You make a mistake and they'll eat you alive, especially a kat of your background. They'll pry into your business, they'll call you names; they – they will try to turn you into public property and they'll scrutinize you to no end. That is why I want you to be as safe as possible. Is that a crime, to want you to be safe?
I don't understand why you feel you have to prove yourself. With your looks, you can have any man you want! But that is not what you want for yourself, is it?
You have always been so independent, so self-reliant; most people around here just don't know what to do with you! So maybe, maybe it's a good thing that you leave here and make your own way. But at the same time, I also don't want you to end up not enjoying the rest of your life. You can get so serious sometimes, *my* head hurts! So, I'm…I'm…I apologize, and I wish you well. But if there is ANYTHING you need, DO NOT hesitate to call home.
And if you change your mind, the door is always open. But no matter what, I will always be proud of you.
Mrs. Briggs slowly made her way down the stairs to where her daughter was standing. When she got there, she reached into her bra pocket and pulled out her money clip. Callie sighed in frustration.
"Here is $500 just in case."
"No Mama…"
"I won't take no for an answer; you deserve it."
They both paused awkwardly at this.
"Mama, I don't need it…"
"When you're in college, you ALWAYS need money. Now stop acting foolish," she said, opening her daughter's hand, "and take the damn money!"
"OK Mama, if you insist," said Callie with a little embarassment.
There was silence again, but it didn't last as long.
"I suppose it's time that you headed out now. What time do you have to be at registration?"
"Around 2:00."
"Then you'd better get going. I suppose there are a few people you want to say goodbye to."
"Yeah." Callie looked behind her and saw the car and Mel looking at them.
"Well, goodbye, Mama. Say goodbye to Murray too, will ya?"
"I will. Goodbye, Callie."
After she entered the vehicle, Callie rolled down her window to see her mother standing in the doorway, with a face that looked as if all the emotions and feelings were sucked out of it.
"I'll call you when we get there, OK?"
The only response given was a nod. Callie smiled at her. Afterwards, the car drove off.
"Callie, are you two OK?"
"I-I-didn't-even-hug-her…" she mumbled between soft, stifled sobs.
"I'll turn around if you want…"
"No. Keep driving."
Mel stopped the car instead.
Wiping away the tears, Callie leaned outside the window with a wide toothy grin. She waved to her mother, and Mrs. Briggs waved back.
It took Mrs. Briggs all her strength to smile back and to raise her arm, but once the car drove off, she allowed a few silent tears to roll down her face.
You and I never shared all that much
When I leave, I'll be all right; I'll keep in touch
As your road narrows, so mine grows wider
As I leave, I turn and wave to the Great Provider…