In Memory of Christopher Hately
Beloved Husband and Loving Father
May He Rest In Peace
My hair whipped wildly around my face as the wind picked up, swirling around the nearby tombstones to reach my resting place in front of the all too familiar spot under the only tree in the graveyard. It was a glorious summer day with no clouds to be seen, and a slight wind to cool every inch of exposed skin.
Curling my unruly hair behind my ear, I turned and reached into my knapsack that rested beside me under the shade of the oak tree that towered over me and the surrounding gravestones. Sifting through bits of food, I pulled out a plastic bag that contained a tuna sandwich I had prepared earlier. Pulling it out of the wrapper, I tenderly ripped a bite size piece off and placed it in my mouth. Chewing, I turned my attention back to the tombstone.
"Well" I said conversationally, swallowing my food, "Everything is really the same as last week, Maggie forgot to put the recycling out again, so the pile's as big as ever." I laughed softly remembering my scatterbrained mother and her antics. Then I fell silent, putting another piece of sandwich in my mouth. "She got her results back from college on Thursday, and of course she got the highest mark in the class…just like we knew she would."
Slowly tearing up the rest of my sandwich, I ate the rest in silence. Grabbing my knapsack and swinging it over my shoulder, I rose and brushed what ever was left of my lunch off my shorts. Turning back to the granite tombstone, I sighed and said, "Bye Dad" before turning around and heading towards the graveyard gateway.
Undoing the latch, I opened the rusty fence door, hearing the customary squeal of protest as the old iron rubbed against the equally old hinges. Stepping through and closing it noisily behind me, I walked down the familiar stepping stones leading to the parking lot.
Reaching it, I made my way over to a shady grove of trees in the corner of the completely empty slab of asphalt. Once I was under the cool shade, I stopped to wipe the sweat away from my eyes, and then looked up at the tall wooden fence in front of me.
Hardly stopping to judge its height, I pulled my knapsack off my shoulder and tossed it up, and over the fence. Leaning forward to a gap in the wooden planks, I squinted through and saw my knapsack safely landed on the other side. Satisfied, I turned and walked a few paces back from the fence. Coming to a stop, I faced the fence again and took a deep breath. Bracing myself against the dirt, I took a running start towards the wooden wall, the wind whipping past my face and tugging against my brown T-shirt and plain denim shorts.
As I neared the fence, my heart started racing and as I came within a meter of the wall, I leaped towards the top. For a few breathless seconds I was suspended in the air, but the moment was broken as my arms shot out to grab the top of the fence. I hung there for a few moments, catching my breath, but then I strained my out-of-shape muscles and groaned as I swung one of my legs over.
Sitting on the top of the fence, I looked around, gazing at the plain suburban homes across the street that all looked alike. I sighed and started swinging my legs gently back and forth. Reaching up, I gathered my hair into a ponytail and slipped the elastic I had wrapped on my wrist around it. Tightening it gently, I then placed both my hands next to me on the fence and swung my other leg over.
I shifted my weight to my arms, and then gently rotated my body around so it was facing the fence. Lowering myself jerkily onto my elbows, I let myself down as far as I could, then let go and felt my body drop.
Landing heavily on my feet, I felt the air rush out of me and my feet start to turn numb. Wincing, I slowly limped over to where I threw my knapsack. I reached down and slung it back on its customary place on my left shoulder. Straightening back up, I lifted my right leg and attempted to shake the uncomfortable numbness out of my foot. Once that was accomplished, I did the same to my other foot.
Feeling mildly better, I made my way down the dry, worn grass path that lead to the street. Stepping down of the curb, I raised my hand to shield the sun from my eyes, and checked for oncoming traffic. Figuring there was none I started walking across the hot asphalt to the curb on the opposite end. Reaching it, I stepped up and walked over to the sidewalk.
The scent of roses and other well-tended flowers reached my nose as I walked past houses along my street. The lawns in sight were an artificial looking emerald green and many automatic sprinkler systems were spraying water, so the grass looked as if it were sparkling.
As I neared my own house on the corner of the street, my quiet thinking was interrupted by the delighted squeal of my neighbor's children. The three girls and one chubby little boy raced across yet another artificial-looking yard in their swimsuits, screeching with mirth. I soon saw why as their babysitter, Cathy Walter, walked calmly after them, carrying an old children's sprinkler system.
Seeing me, she smiled.
"Laurel!" she cried, waving enthusiastically, and then jogging over. She placed the cardboard box containing the sprinkler down at her feet. Then straightening she said, "Hey, what's up?" her jolly smile covering about half her freckled face.
"Nothing much," I replied, "You looking after the Jasper's kids again?" Looking past her slight form, I saw the four children playing a game of tag to amuse themselves.
"Yah" she responded. "I'm still saving up for that new sound system for my room. How about you? Were you at the graveyard again?" She asked, glancing at my knapsack. She sounded reproachful, as if she was scolding me. She didn't really have a right of course, but Cathy was always poking her nose into other peoples business.
"Nah" I replied casually, "I just went for a short walk" shifting my knapsack and then quickly changing the subject I stated, "You might want to set up that sprinkler before those girls make Johnny cry." Turning she saw the three girls bickering and poking their little brother. The expression on his face told that he was close to tears.
"Okay!" she shouted at them in a sing song voice, startling the girls out of their teasing, and little John out of his tears. "Let's set this up shall we?" she picked up the sprinkler box and strode over to them, smiling at the kid's joyful shrieks. Turning to me she smiled and waved goodbye
Smiling myself I returned to the sidewalk, and walked a short distance to my own house at the end of the street. The smile sliding off my face I reached my driveway, and strode over to the front door. Sliding my knapsack off my shoulder, I zipped open the front compartment, pulled out my house key, and unlocked the door. Returning the key to the pocket, I slid through the door.
The sweet smell of air freshener reached my nose as I flung my knapsack down in the closet next to the front door. Kicking off my running shoes, I slipped off my sweaty socks and stuffed them inside the shoes before throwing them in the closet next to my bag. Once again wiping the sweat from my face, I made my way up the stairs into the kitchen. Glancing around, I noticed a piece of paper stuck to the refrigerator.
Walking over and pulling it off I quickly read it.
Dear Laurel,
I have a business interview with a local fashion retailer that's going to last until 6:00, so make your own supper
Love from,
Mom
Sighing, I scrunched the note into a ball, headed over to the trash can, and tossed it in. This had been the fifth interview since she had gotten her College degree last week. Ever since my father died, two years ago, my mother had buried herself in her studies, hence getting the highest mark in her class. I should be proud of her, but I almost never get to see her, she was either in her room studying on the computer, or in the living room burying herself in books. It was not that much different then my own method of coping so I never commented.
Walking across the cool kitchen tiles, I reached the hallway that lead to the bedrooms and bathroom. Going to where the bathroom was, I opened the door, and slid in. Closing the door quietly behind me, I reached over to the light switches were, and flipped on the fan. Once it was running, I walked over to the mirror and saw only what I had seen a million times.
Wisps of my dirty blond hair that escaped from my ponytail lay in wind-blown tangles around my slightly paler face. I had gained some colour over the first few months of spring, but I rarely went outside my home so my face was still quite pale. A few randomly placed freckles were dusted across my cheeks; once again few in number because I spent most of my time inside. Staring critically at myself, I also noticed once again that I had gained some weight over the winter. A layer of fat now covered most of my body, though it was most noticeable in my thighs.
Sighing in resignation, I tore my dark brown eyes away from my body and walked over to the rug next to the shower. Once I reached it, I grabbed the hem of my t-shirt and lifted it over my head, feeling the sweat-soaked fabric brush past my skin. Throwing it on the tile floor, I unzipped the fly on my shorts and after I pulled them down; I stepped out of them, and then gently kicked them over to my shirt. My undergarments soon followed the rest of my clothing and after untying my hair, I stood naked in my bathroom.
Making my way over to the shower, I pulled the plastic curtain away, bent down and twisted on the water. I stuck my hand under the flowing water until it was warm enough, then I flicked the switch to turn the shower on. I swung my leg over the rim of the shower and felt the water rush down my body.
I sighed in content as the warm water eased my stiff muscles. I stood for a few moments and just let the water run down my body. Once I was completely soaked, I proceeded to thoroughly wash my hair and body, gladly watching the filth I had gathered from my trip to the graveyard flow down the drain.
Once I finished washing, I reached down to turn off the water. Pulling back the shower curtain, I stepped out of the shower and onto the bath rug, grabbing a towel off the rack as I went. Drying myself completely, I wrapped at towel around my body and dripping hair, grabbed my clothes, and left the bathroom.
Walking down the hallway and hearing my feet slap against the polished hardwood floor, I reached my bedroom. Opening my door, I stepped through and saw a familiar sight.
Books were all over the room, piled in random stacks that reached as high as a few feet. My bed was covered in a nice warm burgundy comforter that matched the burnt orange walls of the room. It too had books scattered across its surface. Making my way through the mess that had become my favorite place to stay since my father passed away, I walked over to the bed.
Tossing my dirty clothes on the comforter, I dropped the towel around my body. Changing back into my clothes took longer then usual because I had to maneuver my t-shirt around the towel still wrapped around my head. When I was completely clothed, I grabbed my wet towels, recent novel and left my room. Once I returned my towels onto the rack in the bathroom, I walked through my house until I entered the living room.
I had become pretty anti-social since my father died, so this routine of visit the graveyard, wash, and read had become rather habitual. I was actually really lucky that people like Cathy and my mother still took the time to talk to me, since I did nothing at all to encourage them. Most of my time was spent inside the worlds of my many books that I possessed. My mother knew that it kept my mind of my deceased father, so she tried to buy a new one every week or so.
The one I was reading now was a mystery by one of my favorite authors, and I was about halfway finished. Plopping down on my favourite recliner, I removed my makeshift book mark, and began to read.
The hours flew by without my notice, because I was lost in a world of old New York with detectives Rachel Polenne and John Laferly who were solving one grizzly murder after another. By the time I looked up from my book and glanced at the clock on the T.V. it read 6:15. Noting that my mother was late, I slipped my bookmark back into the book, and placed in on the side table.
Arching my back in a stretch, I yawned and got to my feet. Black dots colored my vision as I temporarily blacked out. Standing still until they cleared, like I had been taught, I decided it was about time to make a late supper.
I walked over to the kitchen, taking time to switch on the lights, and then quickly fixed myself a T.V. dinner. Eating at the breakfast bar, I started wondering where my mother as.
As if by magic, I heard the front door open with a squeal, then close quickly afterward. Throwing the rest of my finished dinner away, I strolled over to the front entrance.
As I rounded the corner, I saw my mother pull off her expensive suit jacket and gently place it on its customary hook. Hearing me enter she glanced over, and I saw her brown eyes staring back at my identical ones.
Anyone who saw the both of us together would not once doubt the family resemblance. We both had the same dirty blond hair, though mine fell in waves rather then the tight little ringlet's that adorned her head. I could thank my father's side of the family for that. According to everyone we also had the same dark brown eyes, but I seriously doubted that mine were as intense looking as hers.
She smiled in my direction before turning her back to my and bending over to grab her suitcase, and a variety of grocery bags. "So dear, did you find my note?" She asked airily, her melodic voice washing over me.
"Yah" I answered back, moving over to help her with the groceries. She smiled again, but this time in thanks, and we both headed over to the kitchen. "So how was the interview?" I asked casually, placing my bags on the kitchen counter.
I heard her sigh in resignation, and she raised her hand to rub her temples. "Not so good I'm afraid", she answered, I'll be lucky if I ever hear from them again". Nodding in sympathy like I knew she expected me to do, I went over to the pantry to put a can of diced tomatoes on the shelf.
We then fell into a comfortable silence. This routine took up most of our few conversations. We spoke a few pleasantries, and then fell quiet until we went our separate ways.
Tonight was no different. After completely emptying the grocery bags, I took the remaining garbage to the trash can in the garage, and my mother went into the study to log on the computer.
Re-entering the living room, I stood for a few seconds debating on what to do. I still had about three and a half hours until ten, which was when I would be heading to bed.
Not being able to think of anything else to occupy my time, I walked back into my bedroom, passing the study where I saw my mother's eyes glued to the computer. After I closed the door behind me, I changed into my pajamas and slid underneath the covers. Then I pulled out my novel and continued my story with detectives Rachel Polenne and John Laferly until I fell asleep.