My mother, Lucy, a warm free-spirited woman, was driving the family to Santa Carla, to her father's home, after a divorce from my father.
My brothers and I were all unique. Michael, the eldest, an independent loner, motorcycle rider. The Youngest, Sam, a victim of one to many days in a mall, and his dog, a large Malamute names Nanook. As well as me, Elizabeth, the middle child, clueless and lover of Brat Pack movies.
The five of us were shoved inside of a beat-up Land Rover. Most of our belongings inside of the U-Haul trailer we were pulling behind us. Sam, was beside my mother in the passenger seat, Michael, behind him slumping in the backseat, with Nanook, half in the middle, half on my lap to look out the left backseat slightly ajar window.
"We're getting close," My mother told us, trying to start a conversation.
No one says anything until we go around a corner, Sam then questions "What's that smell?" with a slight grimace.
Lucy breathes in deeply, "Ocean air," she smiled happily.
The grin on her face quickly dies. "Smells like something died," Sam tells her. I give Michael a quick look, rolling my eyes before flicking Sam's ear.
"Awe, honey," Mom says to Sam. "Look, guys," She states, getting our attention, "I know it hasn't been easy…" she started." The divorce and now the move, but I think you are going to like living in Santa Carla."
My brothers looked unconvinced, so I quickly threw out, "I think so too." My Mom quickly threw a smile at us through the rearview mirror, I winked in return. Petting the head of Nanook.
"How 'bout some music." She asked reaching over to turn on the radio to some Country and Western station.
"Keep going," Sam told her.
She than finds an Easy Listening station, to which Michael states, "Keep going."
She next finds Donovan singing "Mellow Yellow."
All of us saying, "Keep going," in unison.
Our mother laughed, "Wait. Haight-Ashbury! The summer of love! 'Mellow Yellow.'
"Keep going!" We all rushed out.
We all laugh, or smirk in amusement, at that. Lucy then turned the dial to a current rock hit station and we all relaxed.
We round a corner showing the boardwalk, a large billboard. The billboard had the words "Welcome to Santa Carla" with a picture of the coastline.
As we pass Michael and I notice what was sprayed onto the back of the sign. "Murder Capital of the World." We share a look of questioning at one another.
We pull into a gas station. My brothers and I quickly get out followed by Nanook, who runs over to Sam. Michael walks off into the crowd, Sam and Nanook following behind.
My mom pumps gas into the Rover. I lean against it and look around, there were a lot of girls in bikinis, surfers, bikers. Other colourful locals.
Sam runs up to us, "Mom, there's an amusement park right on the beach!" He exclaims.
Surprisingly not catching anyone's attention.
"That's the boardwalk, Sam." She tells him, to which he quickly replies, "Can we go now, huh?" pointing over at it.
"Maybe later. Grandpa's expecting us."
Shortly after Lucy says that she looks over at something. A sad expression shows up on her face, making us look over. Two runaway teenagers were rummaging through a nearby garbage bin for something to eat.
Sam and Lucy got distracted, as Michael rolled his motorbike out of the U-Haul.
He looks up, "I need to stretch my legs. I'll follow you."
The Gas Station attendant give my mom five dollars in change. She quickly hands it over to Sam. "Tell those kids to get something to eat." Sam runs over to them.
I look over at Michael as he starts his prized possession.
"Still mad at me?" Our mother asks him.
To which he replies, "For what."
Right as our mom finished saying "For everything." Michael roars his engine.
She quickly throws out, "If you want to check it out, and meet us later, it's okay,"
Which Sam hears and exclaims, "What? He can and I can't? No Fair!"
I raise my eyebrows at him. About to hit him over the head, before Michael says, "That's okay, Mom. I can see it later. I'll help you unload."
Lucy seems pleasantly surprised by Michael's display of responsibility.
We get back into the Rover, Michael ready to follow behind us.
As the runaways shout, "Hey, thanks, lady."
Our mother tells them to use some of the money to call home. Then looks over at Sam and says, "Those kids look like me twenty years ago."
I quickly zone out as we pull out, and Sam replies. "When you ran away from home, hitch-hiked to Berk-" And I was gone, daydreaming of how life was now going to be.
. .
We traveled down a long winding road. Michael following behind us. We pull up to an old lodge-like home, owned by my grandfather. Our Grandpa is a rugged individualist. Wearing old denim, and moccasins. Normally seen with a long grey braid down his back. He is lying lifeless on the front porch, only noticed by us as we approach.
"He looks dead," Michael stated.
"He's just a deep sleeper," Our mother told us as she walked up to him.
I stay back, taking the tarp off the U-Haul to grab a box.
"He's not breathing, mom," Michael told her, she became concerned and checked her father's head.
"If he is dead can we move back to Phoenix?" I drop the box I'm holding and hit Sam over the back of his head.
"Sam, really, be more heartless, could you?" I mutter to him shaking my head in slight annoyance.
Before anyone else could say something to him, Grandpa opens his mischievous eyes.
"Playin' dead..." He told us, sitting up, "and from what I heard, doin' a damn good job of it, too."
I chuckle softly before picking the box back up, as Michael and Sam exchange a look, and our mother, Lucy hugs her father.
The large outside of the house is still evident on the inside. Funky leather furniture, and native printed blankets. Michael carries in his barbells, with some clothing hanging on the ends. While Sam struggles with his mammoth collection of comic books. My mother and I carry in a box of clothing each.
"This is kind of a cool place," Michael says aloud.
"I'm so excited I just can't hide it." Sam deadpans, "I'm about to lose control and I think I like it."
As per usual I roll my eyes and softly kick his leg, just hard enough for him to feel it. Throwing a glare at me over his shoulder. I put my box down at the base of the stairs and continue to follow them.
"Will you give Mom a break?" I heard Michael ask him, as I was walking back to them.
Michael places his barbells down on the back porch, he pumps a few times for good measure.
"Grandpa doesn't own a T.V." Sam tells us, "Have you noticed? There's no T.V." He adds. I just roll my eyes at him, about to say something, but he continues, "Santa Carla has no malls. No Cineplex's and now I won't even have MTV. I will not know anything hip anymore."
"Hey," I say to get his attention, and stop his rant, "Sam, we're flat broke."
"Even poor people have T.V.s," He tells me, walking up the stairs with his box to claim a bedroom. Michael following after a few minutes later as a check out the rest of the house.
Before I too head up the stairs to find a room I look out the window. Nanook was dashing around discovering nature.
I reach the top of the stairs just in time to hear Michael. "I'll flip you for it," I smile, and laugh softly knowing what is about to happen.
I walked into the room just as Sam replies, "Okay."
Michael smiles, grabbing San suddenly and "flips" him upside down. Michael laughs. His tone dramatically changes when Sam reaches out and grabs a hold of Michael's crotch, squeezing hard. Michael quickly drops Sam, and I rush to back up and out of the way.
"Ow, you little shit!" Michael yells. Sam is out the door before Michael gets the last word out. Michael chases him, followed by me soon after, as I giggle in amusement.
As Sam gets close enough to the door he yells for our mother, "Help me, Mom. Help."
To which our mom replies, "Soon."
Sam tears open a pair of old sliding doors. Running into a room filled with stuffed animals, all kinds of animals. Boxes of eyes, pelts, hides and wooden animal forms, also fill the room. In other words, all the equipment and necessities of a taxidermist.
Michael dashes in shortly after Sam, while I stop at the door. The boys staring in wonder.
The whole scene is weird, suddenly a voice comes from behind me.
"Rules!" Our Grandpa exclaims, making me jump, can't be too sure about the boys. "Got some rules around here." As he walks away from the room, we follow. Our Grandpa goes to the kitchen with us behind him and opens the refrigerator. Revealing a shelf with the words "Old Fart," on a cardboard flap. "Second shelf is mine..." He starts, looking over at us. "Keep my root beer and double-thick mint Oreo cookies there…" he tells us, "Nobody touches the second shelf."
Grandpa closes the door as Michael notices something out the window. I look for what captured his eye, it takes me a second. As Grandpa heads towards the living room, Michael points to a small marijuana crop growing outside. Sam looks puzzled until Michael makes a "joint smoking" gesture, which I just smirk at. Before following our grandfather.
"When the mailman brings the T.V. guide," He started, catching the attention of Sam. Who followed closely behind him. "On Wednesdays, sometimes the corner of the address label will curl up... You'll be tempted to peel it off," he shows us what he means with a guide in his hands, "Don't. You'll end up rippin' the cover and I don't like that."
He walks into his Taxidermy room, "...and stay outta here."
"You have a T.V.?" Sam asks hopefully.
Grandpa looks at him, "No, I just like to read the T.V.
. .
After settling into our new rooms, and eating dinner. All of us, minus Grandpa, crowded into the kitchen to do the dishes. The radio is playing some hits from the sixties. 'Land of a Thousand Dances' comes on and our mother starts to move to the music. She puts down her dish towel to dance.
"This is how we used to do it. 'Pony Time.'" She tells us, grabbing Sam by the hand she pulls him away from the sink dancing. He copies her. In fact, he may be even wilder. Laughing, I follow suit and start to move, nothing crazy, just enough to the considered dancing.
Mom and Sam try to include Michael, but he's embarrassed.