Chapter 6 - Memories
Song - Everybody's Changing By Keane.
As Tommy and Tammy arrived at their house, he walked up to the loft to look at some old pictures for her school project.
Surrounded by boxes, he discovers one box marked "childhood photos" and another that is unmarked. He brings the boxes into the kitchen where he finds old pictures of himself and the gang when they were kids and opens another box to find the light blue t-shirt he wore as a baby.
Tommy, hugging his t-shirt, experiences childhood nostalgia that floods through his veins as if it were only yesterday.
"They were good times," Tommy commented, looking over his boyhood photos.
Tammy is eating her after-school snack in the living room when she walks into the kitchen and sees her father with a couple of boxes he had just taken down.
She is overjoyed to see the treasure trove of old photos of her father as a child.
Tommy motioned her closer and said, "I have something to show you."
"What have you got to show Dad?" Tammy enquired, climbing into her father's lap.
Tommy displays historical images of himself, beginning with his one-year-old self.
Tammy shouted, pointing to the photo, "Your bald!"
"Yep, I didn't start growing hair until I was two," Tommy said, laughing.
Tammy goes over the photo again, this time looking at Tommy's feet.
"Why are your feet like that?" Tammy enquired.
"It's known as pigeon toed, and it's quite common in babies." "I grew out of it by the time I was two," Tommy said.
Tammy, who is eager to see never-before-seen images of her father, comes across one of him with Kimi.
"Who is that girl?" said Tammy
"That's Kimi, I've known her since we were babies," Tommy explained.
"I like her purple boots; they're really cool." said Tammy
"She was," Tommy says as he shows Tammy a photo of them when they were adolescents."
"She's really pretty," Tammy replied.
"She was very pretty, which is why I had a crush on her at a young age," Tommy explained.
Tammy observes something that even Tommy as a child did not notice: "Kimi is wearing a red top in Chinese cheongsam style."
"Excellent observation!" We didn't even realise at the time! Kimi is Japanese, and I doubt she'd be pleased if I told her that! "How did you find out?" enquired Tommy
"We've been learning Chinese culture at school, and it's very cool to learn; a few of my classmates have Chinese parents, and they tell us about their traditions and cultures," Tammy explained.
"You are such a bright girl," Tommy murmured, softly pinching her cheek.
Tammy inquired, "She was your girlfriend?"
"Yes, we were a couple up until high school graduation," Tommy admitted.
"Why did you split up?" questioned Tammy
"Well, I got accepted into the London Film School over here, and she went to college in the States, and I guess in the end, we both agreed that a long distance relationship would not work out," Tommy explained.
"Did you think about her when you first arrived?" questioned Tammy
"She broke up with me when I first arrived in London, and after returning home briefly for Uncle Dil and Auntie Allie's wedding and seeing her for the final time, I realised she would move on and I had to try and move on myself," Tommy explained.
"You met Mummy here," Tammy stated.
"That's right, pumpkin pie," Tommy said.
"How did you first meet her?" enquired Tammy
"I met your Mummy at a party with your Auntie and Uncle's, I was just mingling away and then this beautiful brunette woman was standing at the end of the room drinking punch," Tommy explained.
"She looked at me and we just started talking," Tommy says, remembering his late wife.
"What did you and Mummy discuss?" questioned Tammy
"Funnily enough, we talked about films" Tommy remarked.
"That's really nice Dad, what did you do after the party?" Tammy enquired.
"We spent the entire day together, and we talked for several hours that day."
"It was as if we'd known each other our entire lives," Tommy added.
"We married young, and a few years later, we had a little bundle of joy enter our lives," Tommy added, stroking Tammy's hair.
Tammy smiles and continues to go through the pile of photographs, Tommy stumbles across a film reel and projector, from one of the boxes.
"I haven't seen this projector and film camera in a long time!" Tommy was overjoyed when he held the projector and then the film camera.
"What is that?" Tammy inquired.
"It's called a film projector, and it's what's used in the cinema; that's where you see the beaming light if you turn around," said Tommy.
Tommy added and explained while holding the film camera. "This is what we used to film anything before smart phones were a thing," he chuckled.
"What did you film?" asked Tammy.
"When I was ten years old, I wanted to make a film with aliens, so I cast my friends. When they didn't follow the script, I thought it would be a good idea to film them in some... Unsavoury situations," Tommy explained.
"That wasn't very nice," Tammy said.
"I know I shouldn't have filmed them in their private moments, but I was just a young kid being silly," Tommy explained.
"I showed them the footage, and they were not pleased," Tommy added.
"Did they suddenly stop talking to you?" enquired Tammy
"Briefly," Tommy grinned, "Kimi, Your Uncle Dil, and everyone else refused to speak to me, so I changed the film by putting together old candid videos from our early childhood that were more tasteful."
"Do you want to watch?" Tommy added
"Please, Dad. "Let's watch your video," Tammy remarked.
"You will be witnessing history!" exclaimed Tommy.
Tommy blows the dust off the film projector and places it on a console table in the front room, then turns the lights off, Tommy and Tammy snuggle up as the film begins.
"Who's that boy with the ginger hair and glasses?" asking Tammy
"That's Chuckie, he was my best friend, we did a lot together, we had sleepovers, we played video games together," Tommy added, his arm around Tammy.
"I thought Uncle Kian was your best friend?" Tammy inquired.
"Of course he is, but that was before I met Uncle Kian, Uncle Danny, Uncle Hassan, and Auntie Jasmine," Tommy explained.
"How long ago?" Tammy inquired.
"Many, many years ago," Tommy chuckled.
"This is the best part," Tommy grinned, pointing to the screen.
The video shows a two-year-old Dil's nappy falling off as a result of Spike ripping it off, "Haha, I can see Uncle Dil's naked bum!" Tammy busted out laughing.
Tommy also mentioned his dog at the time, Spike, saying, "He was our Dog Spike, he was such a lovely boy."
"Aww, Spike looks so cute!" exclaimed Tammy.
"There's Phil and Lil, both twins who were also my friends, and Susie cutting bubblegum out of Kimi's hair," Tommy explained.
"Poor Kimi, that's not fun having bubble gum stuck in your hair," Tammy observed.
"I can imagine Kimi didn't have a good time, but at least Susie got it out for her," Tommy added.
"There's Angelica, my cousin, and she's your cousin as well; I suppose she's your Aunty Angelica," Tommy explained.
"How come Aunty Angelica hasn't come to visit us?" enquired Tammy
Tommy hadn't heard from Angelica since he left America, and she'd passed up several chances to meet her British niece.
"I suppose she's been super busy, your great aunt Charlotte worked a lot, so I wouldn't be surprised if the apple didn't fall too far from the tree," Tommy chuckled.
"We were a tightknit posse, so many wonderful years as friends, I was very fortunate to have lifelong friends," Tommy says as the film concludes.
"How come you no longer see them?" "They look really cool as kids," Tammy added.
"They were cool pals, but I guess I moved on, in life things change, you move on and make new friends," Tommy explained.
"I don't want to make new friends; I like the ones I have," Tammy explained.
"People come and go in your life, but the ones that matter in your life will always have a special place in your life, and one day you may drift apart from some friends, but true friendship will always find a way back to each other," Tommy says as he cuddles Tammy.
"That makes me feel better, Dad, but how come Auntie Allie isn't in the film?" enquired Tammy
"Allie, her sister Beth, and her brother Alex didn't move to my town until 2002," Tommy explained.
"I've never heard of Beth and Alex, are they related to me?" enquired Tammy
"Well, there are more Uncle Dil's in-laws, but Auntie Allie is the only one I've had close contact with since she married Dil," Tommy explained.
"That makes sense, Dad," Tammy said, "but will I ever get to meet Alex and Beth?"
"I'm sure you'll get to meet them one day, Pumpkin Pie," Tommy smiled.
Tammy opens another box of photos, and as she looks through them, one photo leaps out to Tommy. "Tammy, can I see that photo, honey?" he asks.
"Yes, Dad," Tammy responded as she handed him the photo.
"Oh my, it's me and Kimi's high school prom photo!" exclaimed Tommy as he gazed carefully at the photograph, reliving his youth.
"Kimi looks like a princess, and you look like a prince, Dad," Tammy added.
"We were voted Prom King and Queen, and it was a fantastic evening," Tommy added.
"Why don't you look up Kimi on Facebook, Dad?" Tammy said.
"You already know I don't have time for social media!" Tommy laughed out loud.
"If you want to reconnect with old friends, this is the simplest way," Tammy insisted.
"Well, I suppose you have a point, Okay smarty pants," Tommy says as he pulls out his phone and begins downloading the app. Tammy pushes out her tongue in a humorous manner.
Tommy continues to seek for pictures for Tammy to take with her for her school project as he prepares to enter the world of social networking. He is still awaiting Maxwell's call back, though, and depending on what happens, his life could improve...
End of Chapter 6