Two men died in the city last night, according to the newspapers Brooke glanced at before she laid them down in Dorothy's pen. One was a detective, the other suffered from a mental disease. Both were murdered. Both left behind friends and family, of some sort. Although Brooke did not read the articles or obituaries fully, she pondered the lives of these men all day. Did they have children? Was the mental illness debilitating? How can you know your effect on someone's life until you pass?
While she wished to cogitate on the answers to her inquires, she had more pressing matters to deal with such as the growing Dorothy, and more emotional turmoil. Her father and Silvia were coming over for a visit today to see the new pig and to congratulate her on making all A's and B's despite traumatic events throughout the school year. This would be their first encounter with Brooke as an official "couple." While Brooke knew she would always be her Dad's "Bubblebutt", Silvia's "cariña", and her Mom's little girl, she wished she could just be
someone's "Brooke." After effectively alienating the popular kids at school, friends were hard
to come by, but Dorothy made Brooke's life worth living again. The little piglet was fast growing
into a full grown potbellied pig, the ideal house pet. She was smarter than most dogs and
as loving as any animal could be.
She was on speaking terms with her mother, and she was coming to terms with the events of
her childhood. The lies of Russia, Costa Rica, and why they had to move were brutal but
necessary. How else would Brooke have coped with the idea that her maid was dating her
father? How else could she have dealt with the truth?
Brooke remembered Ms. Clara's advice in the graveyard, about patching up your family before it
is too late. As Dorothy snuggled in her lap, she came to understand that her family may be
broken, but she was not alone. She actually had a quite wonderful life with a new job, good
grades and the promise of a wonderful education, a lovely Sherwood Forest to see the
beauty of nature, and a beautiful pig.
Brooke held her beloved pet by its red sparkly-sequined collar, reminiscent of Dorothy's ruby
slippers, and whispered "Thank you, for saving me." Dorothy grunted softly and licked her nose.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
A Prime Piglet.
As Brooke continued her anger-filled life, something spoke to her in the most unexpected place possible: the 9th grade math final. The multiple choice question read: What is 1 (one)? A) A prime number, B) A lonely number, C) A single item, D) An integer, and E) All of the above. Brooke lazily evaluated the answers, when she realized: She was one. The number, that is. Alone and a single item and prime. She quickly chose E) All of the above, and flipped the page. All day the number one haunted her. The boy in front of her in the lunch line had a jersey with number one. The afternoon announcements said "Our Lacrosse team is #1 in that state!" The sidewalks were filled with single people, hurriedly headed home or to work, no groups stood anywhere.
At Sherwood Park, a single swan swam alone in the serene scene of Waterbury Lake. Brooke cried silently for his single life. He was one, as she was. But suddenly a second swan appeared, with 2 babies. They paddled together and started a slow tour of the lake with these new baby animals.
Maybe one doesn't always have to be a lonely number, or even person.
Brooke stopped by Alfonso's pet store on the way home, intent on buying a baby chick or duckling because of the swans she had seen. But when she walked toward the "Easter" display, a small pen of piglets caught her eye. The sign read "Clearance pigs-$20." Brooke knelt down and a tiny pig trotted over to sniff her. She had the bluest eyes Brooke had ever seen, reminding her of the bright checked dress Dorothy wore in the Wizard of Oz. "Hello Dorothy," Brooke whispered, and internally resolved to always protect her. She realized she had been there several minutes and coincidentally, that she had no money, and was about to ask the manager for an IOU when he said "If you want the pig, you're going to have to take a job here." He seemed to be kidding, but Brooke's eyes lit up and she responded "Oh yes! I've always wanted a job!"
She left the store with a beautiful piglet in her arms and hopes of responsibility in her life. After the arson of Forever 21, Brooke was worried that no opportunities would arise for teenage workers in this small town, but the serendipity of choosing Dorothy had indeed been most fortunate for her.
Veronica Adams gulped when she saw the pig, she almost started yelling until she saw Brooke's smile. She remembered how important that smile was to her, how it made her feel like a millionaire, and she hadn't seen it in awhile. She knew to restore their relationship, she would have to bend. And the pig was rather cute, even if she did hate all living things.
Brooke sat the pig down, barely a foot long, and it cantered over to her mother's feet. Veronica felt its soft bristles and saw its blue eyes. "She's got bonnie blue eyes, sweetheart. What a beautiful animal." Brooke said proudly, "Her name is Dorothy."
Later that night, Brooke sat in her room coaxing Dorothy to drink from her bottle because she was slightly to young to be eating proper pig food yet. Veronica Adams quietly knocked and asked "May I come in?" She did, quietly closing the door behind her. She sat down timidly at the end of the bed, observing the feeding. She saw frustration in Brooke's eyes as she cared for her pet, but true love. Motherhood instincts were obviously going to help Brooke as she cared for this pet.
Veronica said "Sweetheart, I just want you to know that we all love you. You have never been alone or abandoned. It's just been messed up, okay?" And with that, Brooke began to cry and curled up in her mother's arms, for the first time in long time.
At Sherwood Park, a single swan swam alone in the serene scene of Waterbury Lake. Brooke cried silently for his single life. He was one, as she was. But suddenly a second swan appeared, with 2 babies. They paddled together and started a slow tour of the lake with these new baby animals.
Maybe one doesn't always have to be a lonely number, or even person.
Brooke stopped by Alfonso's pet store on the way home, intent on buying a baby chick or duckling because of the swans she had seen. But when she walked toward the "Easter" display, a small pen of piglets caught her eye. The sign read "Clearance pigs-$20." Brooke knelt down and a tiny pig trotted over to sniff her. She had the bluest eyes Brooke had ever seen, reminding her of the bright checked dress Dorothy wore in the Wizard of Oz. "Hello Dorothy," Brooke whispered, and internally resolved to always protect her. She realized she had been there several minutes and coincidentally, that she had no money, and was about to ask the manager for an IOU when he said "If you want the pig, you're going to have to take a job here." He seemed to be kidding, but Brooke's eyes lit up and she responded "Oh yes! I've always wanted a job!"
She left the store with a beautiful piglet in her arms and hopes of responsibility in her life. After the arson of Forever 21, Brooke was worried that no opportunities would arise for teenage workers in this small town, but the serendipity of choosing Dorothy had indeed been most fortunate for her.
Veronica Adams gulped when she saw the pig, she almost started yelling until she saw Brooke's smile. She remembered how important that smile was to her, how it made her feel like a millionaire, and she hadn't seen it in awhile. She knew to restore their relationship, she would have to bend. And the pig was rather cute, even if she did hate all living things.
Brooke sat the pig down, barely a foot long, and it cantered over to her mother's feet. Veronica felt its soft bristles and saw its blue eyes. "She's got bonnie blue eyes, sweetheart. What a beautiful animal." Brooke said proudly, "Her name is Dorothy."
Later that night, Brooke sat in her room coaxing Dorothy to drink from her bottle because she was slightly to young to be eating proper pig food yet. Veronica Adams quietly knocked and asked "May I come in?" She did, quietly closing the door behind her. She sat down timidly at the end of the bed, observing the feeding. She saw frustration in Brooke's eyes as she cared for her pet, but true love. Motherhood instincts were obviously going to help Brooke as she cared for this pet.
Veronica said "Sweetheart, I just want you to know that we all love you. You have never been alone or abandoned. It's just been messed up, okay?" And with that, Brooke began to cry and curled up in her mother's arms, for the first time in long time.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Anger
A permeable frustration circled Brooke's mind, clouding her thoughts, making everything in her vision have red edges, like Hell was invading her life. She discontinued her schoolwork. She visited Sherwood Park nearly everyday but no longer saw the beauty of nature, only the recurring event if having her father, mother and Silvia talk for the first time since she was 9. Disgusted with her inability to forget this "reunion," she tried to walk her anger away. But no matter how far she traveled, her fury would not retreat.
“Sweetie, do you want to talk? Do you want to go on a vacation to get away from this? Hello?” Brooke’s mom would ask as Brooke silently walked through their apartment to noiselessly close and lock her bedroom door. Veronica Adams was very worried about Brooke. She had thought after the “incident” that Brooke would see what an awful man her father was and stop idolizing him and Silvia once and for all. Yet Brooke had turned on all of them. Even her precious housekeeper, who baked with her, coddled her, and practically raised her. Brooke turned in disgust when her father asked if she wanted to come live with him and Silvia. Not a single teacher had been able to get her to talk on the few days she had been to school in the past few weeks.
Brooke heard her stomach grumbling in the early morning hours, silently picked herself off the forest floor in Sherwood Park, and made her way home to find food. Ever since the reunion, the house had been stocked with all of Brooke’s favorite foods. Probably a lure to keep me from running away away, she thought angrily before discontinuing her thought process. When she went in the house her mother quietly asked “Bubblebutt? Do you want to go Casa D’ Waffles for breakfast?” And just as Brooke was going to turn and go to her room, the quiet word “Yes” slipped out of her mouth. Her mother’s smile froze and Brooke could see the excitement growing in her eyes, could see hopes of maybe repairing their relationship. Fat chance. I’m just hungry and this is a free meal.
They exited Apartment 424 and walked down the road to the restaurant. Brooke could sense how uncomfortable her mother was with the silence, and proceeded to ignore her even more. They all should be punished for the lies, she thought. Russia? Business trip? Family in Costa Rica? No contact for THIS many years? Fuck everyone. They ate in silence, only broken by the sounds of the restaurant, never by a voice. Veronica paid, thanked the cook, and they left for their apartment.
A man approached going the opposite direction, looking as though he was on his way to work at the bowling alley. His monogrammed shirt said “Robin” and he stared intently at Brooke, as though trying to read her thoughts. When they got closer, he looked as though he was about to say something, and Brooke’s thoughts began to race. What could a man in a bowling alley shirt named Robin tell me? Wouldn’t it be great to hear something other than the words ‘Are you okay?’ come out of anyone’s mouth when they talk to me?” His mouth opened slightly, she could hear words forming,and somehow deep in her heart she knew she needed to hear what this strange man had to say. But then he glanced at Veronica, seemed to change his mind, and merely walked around the pair, like he had never made eye contact with Brooke.
Brooke’s anger rose to unimaginable levels after this man walked around them. Everything is awful because of my parent’s. I am alone. She started sprinting, ignoring her mother’s calls after her. Brooke made her way to Sherwood Park and collapsed, crying herself into a deep sleep.
She dreamed of a large multi-colored bird, flying over hills and valleys and streams and wildlife, bypassing everything. As the bird wheeled by a small Midwestern-town, Brooke saw herself, in a hot air balloon. There were hundreds of hot air balloons everywhere, yet this amazing creature chose to land on the edge of her basket, in the middle of nowhere. As Brooke dreamed, she watched herself shrink away in awe from the bird. Quietly she said “Why me?” The bird did not answer, but instead, turned around and allowed her to climb onto its back. Down below Brooke’s parents and Silvia screamed and screamed, until they grew red eyes and dragon tails and devils’ horns, but not wings. In a voice eerily similar to Albus Dumbledore, the bird said “Those who live in lies will not be able to harm you where I can take you.” They flew away together as a rainbow cascaded from its tail, showering hope and vibrant colors down on every place they flew over. Brooke saw herself smile, and the smile reached her eyes. With an out-of-body-experience, Brooke realized she hadn’t seen her own eyes smile in months.
They traveled to a valley in the center of a ring of mountains, where the moon created a perfect reflection in the center of the lake. Brooke played with beautiful centaurs, friendly mermaids, and ethereal faeries. She laughed and smiled and never felt pain or hurt or frustration. Each day seemed to run into the next, and she saw beautiful sunset after sunset. One day Brooke asked her bird-friend “Will I ever return home?” He calmly answered “You are home. This is not a vacation, but a reality.”
Brooke awoke with a start to the sound of the forest.
“Sweetie, do you want to talk? Do you want to go on a vacation to get away from this? Hello?” Brooke’s mom would ask as Brooke silently walked through their apartment to noiselessly close and lock her bedroom door. Veronica Adams was very worried about Brooke. She had thought after the “incident” that Brooke would see what an awful man her father was and stop idolizing him and Silvia once and for all. Yet Brooke had turned on all of them. Even her precious housekeeper, who baked with her, coddled her, and practically raised her. Brooke turned in disgust when her father asked if she wanted to come live with him and Silvia. Not a single teacher had been able to get her to talk on the few days she had been to school in the past few weeks.
Brooke heard her stomach grumbling in the early morning hours, silently picked herself off the forest floor in Sherwood Park, and made her way home to find food. Ever since the reunion, the house had been stocked with all of Brooke’s favorite foods. Probably a lure to keep me from running away away, she thought angrily before discontinuing her thought process. When she went in the house her mother quietly asked “Bubblebutt? Do you want to go Casa D’ Waffles for breakfast?” And just as Brooke was going to turn and go to her room, the quiet word “Yes” slipped out of her mouth. Her mother’s smile froze and Brooke could see the excitement growing in her eyes, could see hopes of maybe repairing their relationship. Fat chance. I’m just hungry and this is a free meal.
They exited Apartment 424 and walked down the road to the restaurant. Brooke could sense how uncomfortable her mother was with the silence, and proceeded to ignore her even more. They all should be punished for the lies, she thought. Russia? Business trip? Family in Costa Rica? No contact for THIS many years? Fuck everyone. They ate in silence, only broken by the sounds of the restaurant, never by a voice. Veronica paid, thanked the cook, and they left for their apartment.
A man approached going the opposite direction, looking as though he was on his way to work at the bowling alley. His monogrammed shirt said “Robin” and he stared intently at Brooke, as though trying to read her thoughts. When they got closer, he looked as though he was about to say something, and Brooke’s thoughts began to race. What could a man in a bowling alley shirt named Robin tell me? Wouldn’t it be great to hear something other than the words ‘Are you okay?’ come out of anyone’s mouth when they talk to me?” His mouth opened slightly, she could hear words forming,and somehow deep in her heart she knew she needed to hear what this strange man had to say. But then he glanced at Veronica, seemed to change his mind, and merely walked around the pair, like he had never made eye contact with Brooke.
Brooke’s anger rose to unimaginable levels after this man walked around them. Everything is awful because of my parent’s. I am alone. She started sprinting, ignoring her mother’s calls after her. Brooke made her way to Sherwood Park and collapsed, crying herself into a deep sleep.
She dreamed of a large multi-colored bird, flying over hills and valleys and streams and wildlife, bypassing everything. As the bird wheeled by a small Midwestern-town, Brooke saw herself, in a hot air balloon. There were hundreds of hot air balloons everywhere, yet this amazing creature chose to land on the edge of her basket, in the middle of nowhere. As Brooke dreamed, she watched herself shrink away in awe from the bird. Quietly she said “Why me?” The bird did not answer, but instead, turned around and allowed her to climb onto its back. Down below Brooke’s parents and Silvia screamed and screamed, until they grew red eyes and dragon tails and devils’ horns, but not wings. In a voice eerily similar to Albus Dumbledore, the bird said “Those who live in lies will not be able to harm you where I can take you.” They flew away together as a rainbow cascaded from its tail, showering hope and vibrant colors down on every place they flew over. Brooke saw herself smile, and the smile reached her eyes. With an out-of-body-experience, Brooke realized she hadn’t seen her own eyes smile in months.
They traveled to a valley in the center of a ring of mountains, where the moon created a perfect reflection in the center of the lake. Brooke played with beautiful centaurs, friendly mermaids, and ethereal faeries. She laughed and smiled and never felt pain or hurt or frustration. Each day seemed to run into the next, and she saw beautiful sunset after sunset. One day Brooke asked her bird-friend “Will I ever return home?” He calmly answered “You are home. This is not a vacation, but a reality.”
Brooke awoke with a start to the sound of the forest.
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