Page 25
Claude C. Page
11/2/12
First Hour
Creative Writing
The Truth About Lying
Daddy is never home, he always is away, and I mostly see him on my birthday, his anniversary, and holidays. If it's any other day I never know when he comes home, but usually it's at night when I'm asleep. On a rare night, he comes home early and he tells me stories. Some stories are about his job as a business man. Other stories are of course not real. Once he told me a story about his time in Japan. He said he got to meet martial arts instructors and learned a few moves. My big brother David says he's a liar and what he says isn't true, but my big brother is always getting into trouble, so I never believe him really.
It is nearing my 6th birthday and as usual my big brother was in his room playing some shooting games, my daddy was away and my mommy was in the kitchen cooking dinner and I myself was just sitting there coloring. I was humming softly to myself.
"Tommy…please get your brother please? Dinner is about ready." Mommy said in a louder tone cause we were a bit far away.
"Ok mommy." I said in the same tone and I got up and quickly ran to his room. His wooden door had a metal group picture on it and I knocked. "David?" I raised my tone to be louder than his stereo having sounds of gunshots and screaming and stuff. After a minute I knocked and said louder, "David." He still couldn't hear me, that or he was ignoring me, so I banged on his door and yelled, "David!"
A short ping sound came and then he quickly opened his door and was yelling at me, "What do you want you little brat? Don't you know I'm busy?" He was wearing his usual dark gothic attire, he had an eyebrow piercing, a lounge piercing, and a piercing which made a hole in his ear lobes, the plastic earrings were black as well. "Mommy said dinner was ready and to come down and eat."
He said the words I use to mock me in a way, "Well tell "mommy" that I'm busy and to leave me alone."
"You know mommy will make you eat, I think you should come down before she gets mad."
He shoved me into the white hall wall, "I'll come down when I please!" He yelled. I walked down rubbing my back a bit and said to mommy, "He said he'll come down when he pleases, and he shoved me into the wall.
Mommy was wearing her white chef's apron, she loves to cook food, she owns her own restaurant, it has very good food, and it's made for fancy adults to kids. She has all kinds of menus, I've been there many times, and she does a good job running that business. She had her medium straight and shiny red hair in a ponytail and her cooking uniform. She as usual says to me in a frustrated tone, "Oh did he now?"
"Yeah... he did, it didn't hurt… too much."
"Well, I'll be right back." She sets her big knife down and walks upstairs; I was sitting in my seat and smelling her good food. She made steak, fancy mashed potatoes, green beans, cream corn, and crescent rolls. I hear David screaming bad words to mommy… as usual and then he came stomping down and sits down across from me and says, " you are such a snitch you brat."
"David it's your fault now stop being mean to your little brother and eat."
David was mumbling stuff to himself, I couldn't make it out. Mommy set a glass of chocolate milk down by me in my favorite superman cup. "Thanks mommy."
David then imitating me, "Thanks mommy."
"Stop it."
"Stop it."
"Stop copying me!"
"Stop copying me!"
"Stop it David!"
"Stop it David!"
"David quit picking on your little brother and eat." Mommy said to him sternly. I started to eat her very good cooking, and of course I went for seconds.
"Geez brat you are such a pig."
"Am not!"
"Will you two cut it out, if you want seconds to then do so, I made well enough."
"And you wonder why he wets the bed."
I started to tear up a little, "So what? "
"You wet your bed every night! You're such a baby! You need mommy to clean you up cause you can't do it yourself... just like a baby!"
I had tears slowly coming out, "Shut up! I am not a baby!"
"Are too. We need to start buying you diapers again 'cause you always piss yourself!"
Mommy got mad, "David I suggest you shut your punk mouth before I end it with your punk biker girlfriend!"
"You aren't gonna do shit cause you are always cleaning baby here and always at work, so you are never around to do nothing!"
Mommy finally had it, "David James Jhonson march up to your room right now you're grounded for the rest of the week!"
David hit the table hard and got up and said, "Fine! I hate you and my BABY brother! I wanted to be left alone anyway!" Then he storms up and slams his door hard. I was in my chair heart dropped and cried a little bit, "I'm not a baby am I?"
She got up and picks me up and hugs me, "No honey you're not, you know he doesn't mean what he says, and we've tried everything, you just have a little medical condition that's all." Then she kisses me on my forehead. "How about you head up and take a bath while I clean up here ok? You can get your new dino jammies on ok?" She smiled.
I really like dinosaurs and I picked it out myself, so it wasn't a surprise to her that I said in excitement, "Ok."
"Ok then run along then." She sets me down.
I ran up and stripped down and then I started the water, I took my bath and then dried myself and headed into my room. It had dinosaur wallpaper and my sheets and covers were dinosaur and I had different dinosaur stuffed animals on my double bed. I put on my new dinosaur jumper pajamas on and then slipped my tail through the tailored tail hole in there. Then mommy came up and tucked me in and said, "You used the bathroom right?"
I replied with, "Yes mommy I did."
"Good boy." And she kissed me on my fore head and turned out the light and I slept soundly.
It was 8 in the morning when I woke up and used the bathroom, I walk down the steps and I smell daddy's homemade omelet, which means he was home, I didn't think any further as I am rushing past everyone to the kitchen and I say with uncontrolling excitement. "Hi daddy! Good morning!"
He set the spatula down to pick me up and hugging me tightly, "Hey buddy did you stay dry for me?
"Not every day, but some days."
"Good enough for me, so, how have you been? I haven't seen you in a month."
"I've been good, I missed you though."
" I missed you too, guess where I went this time?"
"Where daddy?"
Then David interrupted us leaning on the wall in his metal band shirt and black guitar hero pajama pants, "Probably to the presidents house, or perhaps to see the queen of England, or any other bs that he says, cause wherever he goes, he says different, probably to a different family.
"Now David you better be nice, because I got a guitar for you."
He snorts, "Oh really? What kind?"
" I was actually in Italy where your favorite band was playing, and I gotta signed guitar for you."
"You actually got Black Sabbath to sign their great name to you? I doubt it."
"Well then, go check my trunk then."
"I will." He runs out.
"What did you get me daddy?"
"How about another story?"
"well, that's for night, what did you actually get me?" I laughed a little bit.
"How about an authentic Black Italian Leather Jacket?"
"Really? That would be great, do you have it?"
"Yeah it's in my trunk wanna get it?"
I said with excitement, "Yeah!"
He laughs a bit and puts me down and whispers, "Get the box too, it's for your mamma."
I whisper back, "Ok." And I run out and I saw outside David absolutely dumb struck," What's wrong? Don't you like your guitar?"
"Are you kidding me twerp? I love it, I'm surprised the old geezer got it."
"Hey! Be nice!"
"This is nice… should hear what I call them behind closed doors."
"I did, and I told mommy, and you got grounded for a week."
"And you are still gonna pay for it too..." Then he walks inside holding the guitar. I went in the trunk and put on the jacket, it looked almost biker style with all kinds of studs and pockets and it fit me perfectly, I got out the box, it was bigger than my hand. I closed the trunk and locked it and went inside, all happy as everyone was sitting down eating, "Thanks Daddy! I look cool!"
"Too bad you're still a false brother twerp." David said.
"Well you do look cool tommy." Mommy said
I walked up to her and held out the box, "This is for you Mommy, Daddy bought it for you."
"Oh really?" She got the box and opened it, her face looked frozen and yet it looked super happy and she took out a diamond filled necklace with matching earrings. "Holy Cow baby you did something good."
"Yeah I gotta big break and a promotion so now I'm head of the traveling business department, and now instead of 30 dollars and hour, I make 60 dollars and hour. And I get vacation too. So I'll be home more, like I'm gonna be here for the next seven days.
I said in excitement, "Yay! Daddy!"
Mommy kisses me then did a long kiss to daddy and said, "That's great honey I'm very proud."
David says in his usual not meaning it voice, "Yay."
I sit on my booster chair with old phone books and started eating. "So, did you see the Leaning Tower of Pisa?"
"Yes I did son."
"Did you get to see the Coliseum?"
"Yes I did son."
"Did you…"
He interrupted me, "Son, I'll tell you about it when its story time ok?"
"Ok Daddy."
"Why do you say daddy brat? Think if you do you'll score brownie points for MY family? You're just some fur infested rat with a brain and a mouth, you should be treated as a pet, not a person. You are so stupid you can't tell between fact and fiction, and what my father says to you is absolute bull!"
I started to cry cause yes I looked different then everybody else, however that's one of my major things I hate to be called, "Why do have to be mean to me? Why do you always gotta pick on me?"
"You shouldn't be housed; you shouldn't have taken my family away from me! Now my real parents pay more attention to your stupid baby needs while I gotta do everything! You should be in some forest or a zoo! Or even better since you are such a freak you should be in the circus!"
I cried even harder. He was jealous of me cause he thinks I stole his family from him, which isn't true. I get more attention cause he picks on me. He hates me because I'm the newest and youngest member of the family. Always he'd pick on me for several things. It would all end up the same way. "David go to your room for the rest of the day and think about what you're doing."
"I have thought about it, everything you say is BS, your "son" is a stupid furry baby, you people never pay any attention to me anymore, and I'm sick of it. I'm moving with my friend, he understands me a whole lot more than you do."
"Son you are under our house and you will live by our rules, now get upstairs."
"Good, cause you won't see me anymore, not that you really noticed me anyway." He storms upstairs cursing our parents and me.
"Is he going away daddy?"
"No son, he better not."
"Ok."
"Want that story now?"
I happily said, "Ok!"
He picks me up, and then he carries me to his study. Then he sat me on his lap and started to drink a glass of water and then spoke his story, "This story is going to be before I even got to Italy; I was waiting on the tarmac, waiting for TWA airlines to board its passengers. It was really crowded, almost oxygen deprived cause there was so many people. As I was reading an Italian newspaper when I heard an old woman scream in pain, so I throw down the newspaper and ran as fast as I could and asked what was wrong. Well apparently someone has stolen her boarding ticket and headed inside, so I push, shove, and gallop and I tackled the man down, I snatched the woman's tickets from him and then I hurried back. I gave her the ticket and then she asked where I was from, I said here in this wonderful state of California. She said that she was going to see her grand baby and her daughter, who owns a jewelry store. Luck had it that ticket seat was right next to mine. So when we did board we talked about our families, our occupations, and then she said, that since I saved her, I get to pick one necklace and one set of matching earrings for your beautiful mother. I'd say that I would pay her back however she said that what I did was honorable and payment enough. Cause tickets cost a bundle. Then, As I was making sells, I figured I use my money to get the VIP pass of the Black Sabbath concert, when I got backstage I basically got a guitar from them with a signature. I said if they needed it, they said no and that they have plenty. So now, what I did to get you a cool jacket... I was in a biker store, trying to find me something to look cool in, and then all of a sudden, two robbers came and fired off guns, saying they kill anyone who would move. They demanded the owner to give up the money in the cash register. So, as the owner fearfully started to cooperate, I started to couch, roll and sneakily work my way up to the desk. Then, I took the fire extinguisher from the bottom of the desk, and I struck both of them in the head hard. Then they got knocked out. As the police came on the scene the cops and the manager thanked me for my bravery and I got a 50% discount on biker clothes. I know how you like cool looking things so that's how I got your jacket. And that was all the first day. I also did see the tower of Pisa and I saw the top floor of it, I looked through the window and miles of Italy, it looked gorgeous. And the Coliseum had wonderful art paintings in the halls before you entered the sandy dirt of the gladiator grounds."
I got extremely interested and loving his story, as I always do, "Did you get pictures?"
"Sorry buddy, I left my camera here. Maybe if I go again I'll take you with me."
"Really?"
"Of course buddy, I'm sure you would love it there."
"It sounds like I would."
"Oh yeah… Well, that's the story for today, now I guess you wanna show off your jacket now huh?"
"Do I ever!" I jumped down and got my sweet jacket and put it on, then I put jeans on, red shoes, and I came back down again. "I'm ready."
"The park I take it?"
"Yeah daddy, can you take me?"
"Of course, just let me read a chapter and get ready ok?"
"Ok daddy!" Then I ran and sat on the couch and begin to watch cartoons. It was four 30 minute shows later and so that meant I was watching TV for 2 hours before I saw daddy in his fall wear. "Ready. Let's go."
I happily said, "Ok daddy." Then I ran out of the house and by daddy's black two door Chevy. He calls it a Corvette. Daddy says it's a 2013 Chevrolet Corvette C7, I think it looks very futuristic. Kids think it looks awesome, which keeps me from getting too bullied. I like going on the swings, I like the motion and the wind in my face… and my tail. So when we got there, it wasn't any surprise that I ran to the swing. I swing and swing and swing for well, a while. I don't really know how to tell time.
People complimented on my jacket. It is keeping me from getting bullied. It was a while, in think that it was around lunch time, cause I was getting hungry. I am getting hungry, very very hungry. I walk to my daddy and say, "I'm hungry daddy."
He is sitting on the park's wooden black bench, he was reading and he looks at me, away from his book, "Well son, I am too, let's go out for lunch ok?"
My ears are perking and I said, "Yeah daddy!"
"Ok how about McDonalds?"
"Ok, I would really like that."
He stands up and closes his book and says, "Ok, let's go then."
"Ok." And I am hurriedly running to the car, it was a big parking lot, but it's not hard at all seeing our car; it's one of a kind. I got in the back, buckling my seat belt and such, and then he started the engine, which was very high-pitched, like a sports car. So we drove to McDonalds and we sat in a table. He went to the counter and ordered our stuff, he already knew what I wanted cause I always order the same thing; a nugget happy meal with a small chocolate milk jug and a cheeseburger. He switched from time to time, but today he ordered four plain fish, large fries, lots of barbeque things, and a large Coke. We always share fries and nuggets and sometimes even sandwiches. Well He shared his fries and I shared my nuggets. It always tasted good, especially the sauce with the nuggets and fries. After I finished, I took off my jacket and my shoes and starting to play in the play place. He lets me just go cause he always just reads, and the more chapters he reads, the happier he is, which means more playtime for me, so it's always win-win situation for the both of us.
I was playing for I don't know how long but when we came home the digital clock said, 2:45 PM. So my tummy was full so I am lying on the couch watching one of daddy's poker shows. They were relaxing and always made me sleep, so I went potty before I fell asleep. The next thing I know, I am smelling fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn on the cob, I realized that it was dinner time and they went to Churches or KFC, I was taking no time to wake up, get my plate, sitting down, and eating. David is chowing down like he hadn't eaten in years, he loves Churches or KFC. "So David, what have you done today?" Mommy said.
"I gotta game trophy for killing 2,000 people in 48 hours, and I ranked 1 in black ops today, again.
"O…k… what about you Tommy?"
I put my fork down and excitedly said, "First, daddy told me the Italy story, then, I went to the park and everyone loved my jacket, then we went to McDonalds and played in the play place, I had lots of fun!"
"Sounds like you did… mind telling me the story?"
"Ok first he saved a woman's ticket so she could see her daughter, then they sat together in the TWA Airlines, then, the nice woman gave him your necklace and earrings, then, he went to the Concert and got the signed Guitar, then, he went to a biker store where he stopped two robbers and gotta 50% discount on my jacket.. and then, he went to the tower of Pisa and saw miles of Italy, and then, he went to the Coliseum."
"Wow buddy… that's a good story."
David looking mad stuffed his face, then swallowed and yelled in my face, "You're such a stupid brat!" then he started up the stairs and slammed the door.
"Why did he say that?"
"For no reason son." Daddy said.
"Are you sure daddy?"
"Yes son."
Some reason I wanted to find out what's making him mad… again. He's not always bad... just 97 percent it seems. We ate the rest of dinner and then soon enough after I put my PJs on I walked to his room to ask him. I am knocking on the door when he startled me from behind. "What do you want twerp! Do u need cleaning again?!"
" I wanna know something." I wasn't paying any attention to his insults cause I really didn't need them.
"What?"
"Why did you call me stupid? What did I say that made you say that?"
"That damn story is a big load of horse shit."
His cussing I drowned out too, only cause I wanted answers before my tired eyes catch up to me. "How?"
"It's a big lie! And you're too stupid to even know."
"Well, maybe instead of being mean you can show me."
"Why? Once you figure out it's a lie, you'll crawl in a corner somewhere."
"No I won't... I promise."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I promise not to, and I'll leave you alone when you tell me."
He mumbles, "To think you weren't annoying enough." He opens his door and says, "Ok sit on my bed."
His bedroom looked scary in the daylight, at night it makes me shake, until he turned on a light. "Ok, to start off with, he said he gave her the ticket on the tarmac right?"
"Yeah."
"A tarmac is a runway, the tickets would have already been checked in, so, there is no way he could have done that because the tickets would have already been "ripped"."
"Well, what about the woman then?"
"It's impossible, TWA Airlines have been closed down for a long time, there is no way he could of met that woman, which means he stole the necklace, bought it, or bought a cheap fake.
"Well, what about your guitar?"
He gets his guitar and shows me the name. "See this?"
"Yeah?"
"Black Sabbath don't see each other often, so, if this was signed by Black Sabbath, then the individual names would be signed, not the group name, and plus Ozzy would do the signing, this isn't his signature, this is some computer generated signature, so, he bought a guitar with their name on it, plus I found one on e-bay."
"Well what about my jacket?"
"Get it..." he struggled saying the last word, "p-p-p-ple-plea-please."
"Ok." I quickly run to my room and get the jacket and give it to David, "Don't hurt it please."
"I'm not." He rubs a part of the jacket on his arm, "Agh!" He takes it off and there is a big red mark on his arm.
"How did you get that?"
"I have a leather thing, if its real leather I break out. And it's real leather, so at least that's true, how did he say he got it?"
"Said he snuck up on two robbers and knocked them out."
He shook his head, "Impossible, dad isn't strong enough to take on two of them, plus they were probably armed, he probably just bought it."
"Prove all of this to me."
"Ok." He gets onto the computer and says "Here is the definition."
I read it at my slow pace, and it turns out my brother gets a point, "Ok."
"Ok." Then he looked up TWA Airlines and showed me the last portion, which said it was long outta business, "Ok."
Then he looked up Black Sabbath and I slowly read it, and he was right on everything. I looked like a widow at her husband's funeral, "You're right!"
"Told you."
"Everything he said wasn't true, what am I supposed to say about that?"
"Confront him is all I can say."
"Confront?"
"Yeah, you know, talk to him about it."
"Oh. I will. Hey David?"
"What?"
"Can I sleep with you?"
He opens his door and easily throws me out, "No." then he shuts his door.
For the rest of the night I didn't think about anything other than all the business stories he's told, all a lie. It made me mad, he has told me for years he was right, but, he lied to me. He says lying is bad; he seems such a… what was that word my big brother used earlier…. Oh yeah, he's such a hypocrite. It is seems like his entire life is a lie, all those stories he's told, lies… I only got madder and madder as I thought about it through the whole night, It was like 11 or so pm until I finally starting to rip all the pictures I drew and I took all the things he's givin' me and threw them to a corner, I put my blanket over it so I wouldn't have to see it. The jacket, toys, other clothes, everything packed in a tiny corner, covered in my dinosaur blanket. I can't believe that he was lying to me the whole time, why would he lie? What does he have to hide? These plus other questions, I'll figure out in the morning, if I fail, then daddy will have lots to explain.
It is 10 in the morning and I was fixing myself a microwave ready breakfast sandwich and a glass bottle of Yoo-Hoo and I was looking in the comedy section of the newspaper, no one else reads it. Mommy reads and cuts coupons, Daddy looks at sports and news, and on a rare occasion David looks for a job, he's about 15 so he looks for "easy" jobs. When I heard the microwave sound I took a plate and set the open wrapped sandwich on the plate. Then like a surgeon I cut the middle of the wrapper fully and took the side and put them down, a load of stem blew into my face. Then I took a fork and held the handle and have the spikes on the fork and put hen by the sandwich, then I used my other hand to pull the wrapper out and have the sandwich on the plate, it's a lot easier then touching the hot sandwich, which Daddy does jokes and David does it… cause he likes the pain or something? Anyway I hopped down the counter with y sandwich and then set it on the beautiful dark wood eating table. Then I quickly took the bun off and let the inside cool, "Ow." I said as I touched the bun.
Then after a minute I picked up the newspaper and took out the comedy section and put the bun on and started eating my breakfast sandwich, it had eggs, ham, cheese, bacon, and it was on a croissant bun. I used my shirt to open the glass bottle and went with reading and eating, reading and drinking, laughing sometimes. When I finished with everything, I threw the comedy section away and threw the bottle away, and put the plate in the sink, and then I went into the living room to watch cartoons. It was about four and a half shows later and I heard the toilet flush, it was a bit loud. Then about a few more minute later I heard someone quickly yell, "Ow! Damn that's hot!" It was my brother, I silently laughed. He came in and turned it on a scary movie that was showing on LMN I nervously and angrily said, "Hey! I was watching that!"
He raised his feet on the table eating his sandwich and said, "Too bad… now you get to watch a scary movie."
I am crying a little bit, "No! You know I'll have nightmares! Turn it back!"
His tone rose, "I ain't watching your baby shows! Now watch or go somewhere else!"
I started actually crying with tears coming out, "Turn it back David!"
He picks me up and he starts walking, "You're ruining the movie with your baby cries, I'll won't have my baby brother ruining a good movie with his crying, I ain't Mom or Dad."
Now I was crying about something different. "Put me down David! I said put me down!"
"Stop your crying! You're gonna wake mom and dad up!"
I still was crying, and when he got to my room door, mom and dad was behind us in their robes.
"What on earth is going on guys?" Mom said.
"My baby brother is being a baby again; crying over stupid stuff, again."
"What's wrong buddy?" Dad said.
I was being a bit more calm, "He turned my cartoons off and put on a scary movie and I tell him to turn it back then he said that he wasn't gonna let my crying ruining his movie, so he picked me up and carried me and I kept telling him to put me down."
Dad and mom looked weirder, "Really? That's what you two are fighting about?" Mom said.
"David, ask before you change channels, and Tommy... don't cry over something like this again… please? Especially this early."
Me and David said, "Early?"
I continued, "It's nearly one pm Daddy."
Mom and dad said, "Really?"
David said while putting me down, "Really. You two seriously slept all morning."
"Wow, my eyes lied to me when it said 12:43 am."
I remembered last night and murmuring, "Seems you do a lot of that daddy."
Dad said, "What buddy?"
"Nothing Daddy." I quickly said back.
Daddy said, "Ok well this time Tommy if you don't want to watch it then go ahead in your room." He opens the door and then he says, "Why is your blanket on the floor?" He then walks and stands over the blanket and lifts it up, "You know not to…." He throws the blanket aside and picks up the jacket. "Why is all the stuff I gave you in a corner under a blanket?"
Fear struck my eyes; I didn't know what to say… "I…I…"
"Why is the stuff I gave you under a blanket Tommy?" He says more in a meaner tone.
I only thought about the first thing and said it, "Daddy… I..."
"Honey why is your stuff your father gave you under your blanket?"
I just needed to spit it out, "All of daddy's stories are lies! He lied to me! All those business stories... none of them are true!"
"What makes you say that honey?"
"Devin told me!"
"Why do you trust him?"
"Cause he showed me on the computer, TWA is not real anymore, the tarmac is a plane strip, he aint strong enough to knock two out, and Black Sabbath aint a band anymore. He said your necklace is fake."
Then he quickly replied, "I said it might be fake…might."
"Everything he said was a lie! He lied to me! He lied to everyone." Then I run to my bed and just lying there.
"Come on guys; let's just give him a little room." Dad said. I heard the door close and then my face was a waterfall. I feel so betrayed… I feel like I was played. All I was doing was crying, facing my wallpaper. I thought he was so cool. But now I can see how much of a pathetic fake he truly is. I talked about him like he was an absolute hero, he made me look so bad knowing it's all a lie. How can he just pull a politician speech on me? How can he live with me looking like a fool? A young furry fool. How can I even trust him again? How can I ever believe what he says if he's crying wolf? Why did I ever believe him?
I couldn't even think as I kept doubting everything my daddy says he stands for. What if every little thing he said was a big lie? What if he does have a second family? What if he doesn't love me? What if everything daddy says he works for ain't what he says? Too many questions running through my tiny thick skull; I over ran my brain by thinking and asking too much and fell asleep.
It doesn't seem long before I woke up... smelling the lasagna my Mommy loves to cook for us. All the white cheese and meat and noodles all layered together with extra seasoning and stuff made Italy a copycat version of what Mommy cooks. Oh how I hopped out of my sleepy eyes and bed and ran down… I stopped as my feet touched the cold white ceramic tile; all the chairs were taken except the one by daddy where my favorite cup sits with the baby blue plate full of gooey deliciousness. I slumped over and dragging my feet walked to my chair. I sat up and started eating dinner.
"So, how was your nap?" Daddy asked.
Ignoring what he speaks, I kept eating. "Honey…your father asked you a question."
I mumbled, "Fine… I guess."
"I made your favorite."
"Thank you mommy."
"Hey champ how about driving to the park with me huh buddy?"
I said in a frustrated "not getting my way" kind of tone, "No thanks."
"What about ice cream with me?"
"No."
"Come on buddy what can I do to make you happy?"
"Go away. That's what you can do… I can't trust anything you say anymore."
"Look buddy I'm sorry for bending what I do, but I do it cause imagination is…"
I quickly snapped, "Creativity is when you make up a story about a dragon! Lying… is when you tell someone it's true but its complete bull…"
David interrupted and said, "Please don't say it… You don't need to be talking like that… yet."
"No… never." Mommy said.
"Why did you lie to me? To us!"
"I didn't lie to you guys."
"You lied to me! What? Think just cause I'm adopted, look different, and young you think I'm stupid!?"
"No one thinks you're stupid."
"You do! You tell me lies and tell me they are true? What about that "Promotion" huh? Did it ever happen?!"
He looks down in despair, "No... It didn't happen."
"What about that meeting with a female to give her her stolen ticket?!"
"No."
"The meeting with Black Sabbath!?"
"No."
"Anything you said happened on your trip!?"
"I saw the Pisa tower, but not inside, I didn't see the coliseum, but I did go to Italy."
"What about you're other trips?"
"Same as what happened in Italy."
"See… how can I trust you? Are you even a travelling businessman?"
"No."
Everyone including David gasped and mommy said, "You lied to me for 14 years?!"
David said, "Ok I know you're a liar... but this... this takes the cake!"
Daddy said, "I wasn't a travelling business man, however, before we married my father forced me into the pilot business."
David says, "Why did you lie to cover that?"
Mommy then said, "yeah… why?"
I said, "What did you do, why hide a cool job?"
"Cause... I don't like my job."
"Why not?"
"It's so stressful keeping a plane filled with 200 plus people from point a to point b. And I hate sitting for a long time... I get antsy."
"Again... why lie?" David said.
"What can I tell as a story... I sit in front of a plane 30,000 plus feet above ground."
"Well… I do say it's sorta cool but, I'm sure it's better when I see it."
"But it's not the stories I told."
"No, but, if it's the truth and it's a story then I'll like it. But if I want a story story, then I do want not real stuff."
"Well… I guess if it puts you asleep at least."
"Well... that's fine… but… there are still words I want to hear from you."
"What's that buddy?"
"Can't tell… find out for yourself."
"Oh ok."
We all chilled at that moment. We continued eating mommy's delicious lasagna. I keep thinking. A pilot? He lied cause he thought his job is boring? That is sort of bad for him. He shouldn't have done what he did... all I'm looking for is a sorry. As I finished everything I went upstairs and put everything back... he might have lied, but I feel he won't anymore... plus I love the stuff too much. I make my bed and sit down and daddy came in and said, "Listen do you want a story?"
"What kind of story? Fake business, real, or story story?"
"How about a story about a five year old who is a great horse rider?"
"Ok."
"Ok sit on my lap then."
He was sitting down when I sat upon his lap. "Ok are you ready?"
"Yes daddy." I leaned my head on his chest listening to the story.
"Ok In August 19, 1994 a boy named Christopher was in the newly felt arms of his momma, cuddled softly and comfortably. When Christopher lived his two year old life, he had an abundant amount of toys, some were loud and some were silent, however, he seems interested and inseparable to certain toys and those toys are a rocking horse, a horse toy, a plastic set of keys, and a hot wheels toy car. Those certain toys were played with properly and were never broken. After a few weeks, he only seemed interested in his horse toys. As soon as the parents noticed this, his mother said," I tell ya, he is going to be dealing with horses."
Christopher's dad replied, "It seems that way doesn't it?"
On Christopher's fifth birthday, Christopher and his parents walked to a stallion ranch. This ranch had grass with the perfect shade of green and it was evenly cut, and not a weed in sight. The trees had green leaves and some of those trees had ripe fruits. Christopher oohed and aahed at the beautifully maintained property. They looked up and a nicely polished wooden sign that read, "Richard's Ranch, home of gorgeous healthy stallions and riding lessons"
Then, when they walked into the property a young man greeted the parents. The man was clean shaven, a cowboy hat, a long red plaid shirt, a black leather belt with a silver Tennessee buckle holding up a pair of medium blue jeans, and had black cowboy boots with clean silver spurs, all points perfectly sharp. He squatted down to Christopher's level, held his hand out slowly and said with a Tennessee dialect, "Hey there son, my name is Richard, what is your name?"
Christopher shakes his hand and says with a smile, "Hi, my name is Christopher."
Richard says to Christopher, "Well Christopher, it's nice to meet you, but I bet you're not here to see me; you are here to see our fine horses aren't you?
His mother quickly replies and Richard stands up, "Yes he is."
Then after a short pause, Richard says, "Do you wanna ride with me Christopher to the barn?"
Christopher asks, "How? I don't see your car."
Richard chuckles and says, "I don't ride cars, watch this Christopher." Then Richard looks away from the family and whistles as loud and clear as a metal whistle. Moments later a brilliant bright brown and white horse gallops and stops fast next to Richard. Then Christopher exclaims with excitement and begged, "Can I Mom? Can I Dad? Can I, can I please?" Then the parents nodded their heads and his mother said, "Go right ahead."
Christopher says with pleasure, "Yay!" Then Richard puts both of his hands around Christopher's torso to pick him up, and he places Christopher gently on the back of the stallion, then Richard gets on the horse. As he got on the horse he said, "A carriage will be here shortly to take you to the barn." Richard firmly, but gently puts his arm around Christopher's stomach to prevent him from falling off. Then he pokes the steed with his pointy spurs and they were off, going faster than a human sprinting.
Then a middle-aged woman driving a clean white carriage came towards the parents. The carriage stops and the woman said, "Hop in." The parents got in the carriage and the horses turn the carriage around to the recent path of the brown and white stallion and head off slowly, trotting. Twenty minutes later the carriage pulls into the barn and the parents get out and turn their heads around to find the barn abandoned with only a variety of horses in a stall, and one stall was empty. Then Christopher's mom exclaims in fear and perfuse frustration," What the! Where are they?"
The father looked out in the field where the fields are and pointed while saying, "Oh my God! Look out there!" The women face the direction of the father's index finger. They see Christopher riding a white horse all by himself holding on to a brown saddle. They couldn't believe their own eyes so they rubbed them only to see the same scene, they run over to Richard. They were astonished and watched as Richard says, "It only took him ten minutes to learn how to ride a horse. You know, most kids his age takes about five years to get the hang of it, and a few more weeks to learn how to ride."
Christopher saw his parents and waves and they wave back. Richard continues to speak, "Your son is either the fastest learner, or he's just talented. Either way, I've never seen a small child this good. I've never seen anyone in school this good, the youngest I've taught that was this excellent was twenty one."
Christopher's dad says, "Wow."
Richard says, "Yeah, and he seems to be already attached to that horse, out of my dozens, he's chosen a white stallion. Well, actually, the horse chose him. He was just looking around then this white horse broke out of his stall and stood next to Christopher. Would you like to have a horse? Specifically that one?"
Christopher's dad said, "How old is he?"
Richard replied by saying, "He is exactly a year old."
The mother says, "How much?"
Richard says," How much? Its clear evidence that those two are like magnets, I'll give you this stallion for free."
The dad says, "Are you sure?"
Richard says, "I've got plenty more, go right ahead."
The parents say simultaneously, "Yes."
Richard says, "Alright, let me get the ownership papers." Then Richard runs to his house to get the papers, and the parents watch their young son trot and gallop with the horse. Then once the papers were signed and copied the family left the barn. The parents were walking and Christopher with his newly owned horse was trotting. His mom asked Christopher while moving slowly," Do you like the horse?"
Christopher replies with non-suppressive happiness, "Yes thank you guys! I love him!"
His dad asks, "What are you going to name him?"
Christopher says, "Hmmm, I don't know how about..." Before he has time to say it lighting and thunder lit the dark sky and immediately Christopher yelled, "Lightning!" Then without warning the horse stands on his hind legs almost making Christopher fall off and makes a loud startle noise then shifts into over drive and speeds off for a few seconds and then Christopher yields the horse to a stop. Then his parents catch up with Christopher and asked, "Are you alright?"
Then silence fell for a few seconds and then Christopher said, "Yeah, me and Lightning are just fine."
The parents say, "Who?"
Christopher says, "Lightning, my horse."
The parents say, "Ahh."
Years flied by and by the age of ten he was already racing on Lightning professionally. Then by the age of fifteen he won sixteen gold metals, five first place trophies, and was awarded the top horse racing honor in Tennessee. Then one cool evening at dinner in his fifteenth year, his dad asked, "What do you want to do when you grow up?"
Christopher said, "I was thinking about working with cars."
His mom said, "what about horses, you're an excellent horse rider."
Christopher says, "Yes, true, but I want to work with or legally race cars."
His father says, "Why? You would be making excellent money dealing with horses."
Christopher says, "I have been riding Lightning since I was five years old. He is a wonderful horse, he is, but I want to explore more with cars."
His mom strictly chastises, "No you're not! You are going to deal with horses whether you like it or not because you are the best horse racer and you are not going to throw that away do you understand me Christopher!"
Christopher puts his hand on his heart and start holding as knowing if those words emotionally pierced his heart and just stares at her.
His mother yells, "Christopher Wilson do you understand me!"
Christopher's head drops down and says, "Yes mom."
His mother says, "Good, now then, eat and stop talking about this nonsense." Then the rest of that night was in complete unbroken silence.
By the time Christopher turned twenty, they move out of Tennessee and moved into Los Angeles, California, but before they did, they asked the neighbor if they can take extremely good care and precautions to keep Lightning healthy. Then as soon as they said their goodbyes they were headed off to the west coast. They moved into a home with expensive features, but were on the middle class expenses, about $350,000 total to own.
Six years later Christopher decided to move out and rent a home. He packed up his stuff, he put it in the car, and he got into the passenger seat and his father drove him to his desired destination. Then a year later Christopher married a twenty one year old woman named Cherise. They first met at a Starbucks and they both ordered a French vanilla cappuccino because they didn't like coffee. Then on Thanksgiving, Christopher's parents invited him and Cherise to a feast over at their house, scared to death, Christopher reluctantly accepted.
Through the night the only thing allowed on the television was video recordings of Christopher's races, practically the only pictures on the wall were photos of Christopher and Lightning, news articles of Christopher and his born talent, magazine's front covers of the miracle of the century, and glass shelves with dozens of awards on each. The only topic on his parents' mind was on the races. "I cannot believe that my parents are still worked up on me and my horse races," Christopher said while unlocking the door to his house and turning on the lights.
Cherise said, "I didn't know you raced horses."
Christopher said, "It wasn't important information for you to hear honey."
Christopher went upstairs and Cherise speaks with smiling astonishment, "Not important! You are the best horse racer and you've been keeping it a secret from me? Christopher? Baby!" Then Cherise pursues him upstairs and catches him under the door way. Cherise says, "Are you keeping anything else from me baby?"
Christopher hugs Cherise then kisses her and says, "No honey, I'm not." Then they go into the bedroom and shut the door. A few months later in the sweet spring scent of April the young couple find out that Cherise was carrying a boy. On June 25th, 2022, after stress took a toll on Cherise, and the stress of Cherise took a toll on Christopher, a new born boy lay softly in Cherise's arms. Christopher said, "He is so adorable, what are you going to call him?"
Cherise says, "I think the name Alex sounds good."
Christopher says, "It sounds great honey."
Cherise says, "Yes, it does, Alex, Alex C. Wilson." After years of growing, Alex turns five. Four months after Alex turns five, they decided to move to Nashville, Tennessee, where Christopher was born. When Alex and Cherise was helping with the boxes, Christopher went over to the neighbor's house. He knocked on the screen door and a new neighbor appeared from the other side, and for a couple of seconds Christopher freaked out a little, but the neighbor said, "Hi, I am new here. What is your name?"
Christopher said, "My name is Christopher Wilson; I was born here and left my horse here when we moved. You wouldn't happen to still have him, would you?"
The neighbor said, "Actually yes the old occupant made quite a strict point about that. I never knew why until now."
Christopher nervously said, "Do you still have him?"
The neighbor said smiling, "Yes, he is just out back want me to get him?"
Christopher said, "Yes, but, put him in our back yard please."
The neighbor said, "Sure, I'll do it right now."
Christopher says in gratitude, "Thank you so much."
The neighbor says while closing the door, "Anything for a fellow neighbor." Then Christopher helped unload the heavy furniture and boxes.
Two weeks later, Cherise and Alex go shopping for groceries and Christopher deliberately declined. Christopher heads out back and saw the same bright white coat when they left. He pets Lightning on the nose and whispers, "Hey there Lightning, how have you been? You look as beautiful as when we got you years ago. Remember? It started to rain and thunder and lightning appeared. That's how you got your name. We had a lot of fun together."
Christopher pets Lightning on the back and continues to speak with him. Christopher wasn't keeping track of time to know Cherise and Alex came home. Cherise stared at the long lost bond reunite then motioned Alex upstairs. Cherise came out silently then said a foot behind Christopher, "Is that the horse in the photos?"
Startled, Christopher turns around and says, "Yes, his name is Lightning."
Cherise says, "How long have you had him?"
Christopher says, "Since I was five years old."
Cherise says, "Wow, he is beautiful."
Christopher says, "Yes, he is."
Cherise asks, "May I get on Lightning?"
Christopher says, "Yeah, sure." Then Christopher gets on Lightning and then he helps Cherise on the back of the horse. The new neighbor was standing outside, and then Christopher motions him over. The new neighbor stood by them and Christopher said, "We are going on a little ride, can you please watch Alex, our son?"
The neighbor says, "Yeah sure."
Cherise says, "Dinner should already be in the fridge all you have to do is heat it up, his bed time is nine o'clock, and make sure he takes a bath and brush his teeth before he gets to bed."
The neighbor said, "Ok, I will."
Cherise said, "Thank you sir, I'll pay you when we get back."
The neighbor says, "No need, y'all head off now I got this covered."
Christopher said, "Thank you." Then Christopher pokes Lightning with a replaceable spur and the great white stallion speeds off. Cherise looks behind her and sees the neighbor going into their house and closing the door. Then Cherise almost loses her balance and quickly wraps both of her arms around Christopher.
Then Christopher smiles and happily says, "You haven't lost a step have ya Lightning?" Then after that, the horse makes noise and speeds up a little further. Then Cherise says, "I guess he hasn't."
Christopher says, "Nope, he maybe over the hill, but his speed goes back to those days upon my parent's wall of my fame." Then a few hours later, the happy couple opens the door to see everything in place, Alex was a sleep and the neighbor sat on the recliner reading the only book they had, In the Event of my Death by Carlene Thompson. Then Cherise asks," How was he?"
The neighbor says, "He was an absolute angel, y'all raised him well."
Then Christopher says, "Thank you for watching him, you are probably dead tired, why don't you go home and get some shut eye."
The neighbor says, "Ok, goodnight."
Then Cherise and Christopher says softly, "Goodnight." Then the neighbor walks out and then closes the door. Cherise locks the door, they go upstairs and check on Alex, then onto bed. The next morning, Alex came down stairs still in his pajamas when Christopher scooped him up and asked, "Hey there big guy, you hungry?"
Then Alex smiled and said, "Yes daddy, what are we having?"
Then Cherise comes in wearing a shiny blue jacket, blue jeans, red shirt, red lipstick, and purple eyeliner and said, "Anything you want honey."
Then Alex says, "Scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes."
Cherise says, "Scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes cumin' right up." Then Cherise leaves the room and Christopher puts down Alex. Later in the day, at six forty-five at night, Christopher walks out of the house with Alex and asks," Hey there big guy, do you want to ride with your father?"
Alex says, "In the car?"
Then Christopher turns away and gives out an audible whistle and turns his head again and says, "No son, on Lightning."
Alex says, "Lightning? But doesn't lightning go fast?"
Christopher says, "Yes, but not that type of lightning." Then Lightning trotted over to Christopher and stops.
"Whoa," says Alex, "I didn't know you had a horse daddy."
Christopher says, "Yes son, I do."
Alex says, "He's pretty."
Christopher says, "Yep, so, do you want to ride with me?"
Alex says, "Yes please." Then Christopher propped him up and he himself got on his beloved Lightning. Then, like when Christopher was a kid, he wraps his arm around Alex's stomach, gave lightning a soft poke on the side. First Lightning just trotted for a few seconds, then progressively getting faster until he speeds like if he were in the race for his life. After a few minutes, Alex asks," Daddy, why didn't we take the car?"
Christopher says, "Because, I don't have a license son."
"Why not?" Asks Alex.
Christopher says, "My mom and dad didn't want me to drive, they wanted me to ride a horse and they did just about everything to make sure of it."
Alex asks, "What did they not do to make sure of it dad?"
Christopher answers, "Torture and physically hurt me."
"Oh." Said Alex.
Christopher asks, "Can I ask you something son?"
Alex says, "What daddy?"
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Christopher asks in a neutral tone.
Alex says, "Anything you want me to be."
Christopher says, "Do you want to know what I want you to be?"
Alex says, "What daddy?"
Christopher answers, "Anything you want to be."
Alex says, "I don't know what I want to be. What do you think?"
Christopher says, "Son, it doesn't matter what I think."
Alex says with baffled interest, "I don't understand daddy."
With complete seriousness, Christopher speaks to his son with honest neutral tone," Son, I was blown away by the strong winds of my parents, I was forced to do something I'm good at, rather than what I wanted. I gone where the winds went, and I don't want you to suffer the same fate as me. Don't let people talk you into a job; don't let people force you into something that dissatisfies you. Two people can control your beliefs, and those people are you and God. Do you understand what I am saying?"
Alex replies, "Yes father, I do."
Christopher speaks with a smile, "That's my boy, I'm proud of you." Then Lightning, the great white stallion carrying Christopher and Alex on his saddle upon his back galloped on the road away from long sight, and into the sun sinking upon the gorgeous Tennessee horizon."
I gazed in astonishment cause that story was great. "That was great daddy! I really liked it!"
"I am glad you like it. Now, go on and play ok?"
"Ok." I hopped off his lap and then I was running out side, playing with my ball and stuff. I am having the time of my life, it seems after a story he tells I feel alive and imaginative, mommy taught me that word, I guess after a story I love being happy. I think maybe… though he lied, I can call it a real life story. I really like those stories; I guess untruthful/unreal stories are the best to hear. Maybe I should apologize, I was only mad cause of the lying, and I think I will go apologize to him. I went back inside and tried to find daddy, but he wasn't there. I looked out front his cool Corvette was gone; I have started to cry because I feel so bad.
Mommy saw me and said, "What's wrong Tommy?"
I cried out loud, "He's gone! I wanted to say sorry but he's gone!"
She is laughing, I don't even know why. "Why are you laughing? He's gone and you're laughing?"
"He's not gone... he left to get some eggs."
"So… he'll be back?"
"Of course Tommy."
I felt happy; it was 15 minutes later he came in. I let him set the eggs down and then I jumped on him, "Daddy I'm sorry, I like your lie stories, I call the realistic stories. I love you so much.
"Oh really now?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry for yelling earlier. I promise I won't do it again."
"Oh it's alright. I can understand why you did it, I promise to be more truthful."
"I'd like that."
"I bet… now wait 'til bed time."
"Ok." I hopped off him and anticipated for the time I had to wait. The time came after I went potty and did other bathroom stuff and got my jammies on. He came in and said when I laid in my bed covered with my blanket. "Ready for a truthful story?"
"Like your real job as a pilot?"
"Yeah, that's what I mean."
"Ok."
"I can't wait."
"Ok now, it's not recent but it was when I first started, I was heading in the cock pit, just literally graduated pilot school, I sat where they would sit junior pilots. When we took off, the first thing I did was puke all over in the trash can, I never been up this high and I was so scared. Then he kept asking me questions and I was so nervous that I didn't k now I was sweating and soaked my pilot's uniform. As we landed I went swimming and gasped and stuff cause that was the scariest day of my life. And that's really the truthful story of my first day."
I was almost asleep when I said, "Thanks daddy that was the best story of my life."
"Really?" he surprisingly says.
"Yeah daddy."
"Good, well good night Tommy." Then he kisses my for head and I say, "Good night daddy. Sweet dreams."
"You too."
I smiled and I fell asleep. So what if he lied? The truth about lying is, it's bad usually, but if you do it to make a good story for someone you love or a book, then I say lie all you want, everyone says lying is bad period, however, in cases like these, lying is alright.