April 1999
5 p.m.
"Get me a beer," said Dennis to a man with an orange apron, a blue work shirt with white stripes, and with a blond mustache and beard combo, who was standing under a sign called ,"The Frosty Spring". The man, poured him a glass, with a nonchalant expression on his face, into a clear glass. Then went back to cleaning his mug.
"Thanks Zack," Dennis said quietly, Zack replying with a simple nod, while still clearing one of the shots. Dennis sat there staring at it, his chin in his hand, his elbow on the wooden countertop,sitting in the green barstool, looking as if some horse died(Disclaimer:she didn't.) He was only distracted by the sound of someone old but genial.
"Hey future competition in the the hospitality industry," the man said, rubbing his shoulder and taking a seat next ,"How's it going." Dennis woke up from his strangely non-alcohol stupor, staring at the same, thin, tanned, wrinkled skin, and grey hair he had known for years.
"Hey John," said Dennis, his spirits lifted a little, "how's Mrs. Uhlenbeck?"
"Same as always," said John, then regarded his friend's somber appearance, and asked ,"you look a little s-,"
"DON'T SAY IT!", Dennis blurted, attracting the attention of the bar.
"Calm down Dennis," said a large, pale white man holding a billiards cue. He wore a huge, black T-Shirt that barely fit into his large torso, in an innocent-sounding voice, and a grin ," I'm sure he meant depressed." Some patrons chuckled.
"Yeah, very funny Rodger," said Dennis, looking behind him ," I only hear that 50 times a week!"
"Dennis please," said John, " you need to relax, you looked like a horse died."
"Sorry," said Dennis, looking away from him ,"I guess I've had to many beers. And she's not dead!"
"Dennis," said John in a reprimanding tone ,"that's not true."
"You mean CRYSTAL DIED," blurted Dennis.
"N-n-no Dennis," John said, waving his hand up and down to tell Dennis to be quiet, " I was talking about the BEER. You haven't even touched it. A man who comes into a bar depressed and NOT drinking needs great spiritual guidance."
Dennis sighed, slamming down a five on the counter, "listen Billy Graham, I don't need this, a bar is a place to be miserable, and since you won't let me do THAT, I guess I'll go be miserable in my barn." He got up from his stool. "Keep the change, "Zack," he said before walking outside the bar.
John started counting down as Dennis walked out to the sidewalk. "Ten, Nine,Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One.." Outside, a loud spluttering sound was heard, like an old man coughing as he lay dying on a sidewalk.
Outside sat Dennis' old Chevelle. Much of the orange pain had rusted away, and the door handle was rusted red, but much of it's splendor could still be observed...if not for the big gaseous cloud of black smoke coming out of the hood. Dennis, stepped out of his car, quietly, and walked back inside the bar, everyone staring outside watching the car burn.
"John..." Dennis said sheepishly, bending down.
"Yeah, Yeah," said John,jadedly , getting up from his stool, "I'll get the Expedition."
-
Two men sat in an Expedition. It was a dark blue SUV. Like most SUV s of the time, they we're large, powerful, and at 15 mpg, were born in an era that had forgotten about the energy crisis. In them sat two men, talking their issues in the most polite way men of their age knew how.
"Yah cheap bastard," said John ,"why don't you buy a new car already, that thing produces smoke more than it drives."
"I could say the same thing about you," said Dennis ,"Mr. SUV gas drinker."
"Hey, Sadnik" said John ," You still drive a muscle car."
"Yeah, but when I bought my car" said Dennis ,"we didn't know about the energy crisis. You, who I remember telling me pushed his car 5 miles into Saratoga that winter just for half a gallon of gas, have seemingly forgotten those days of shortages, and rather than shop smart and buy one of those beautiful new electric cars, decided to go for a big heavy *smacks the dashboard* behemoth, which will only create a new energy shortage. When it comes, I doubt you will have the string to push the thing around, old man."
John sighed. "Look, I'm driving you home, and while I'm giving you advice, you decide on acting hostile. What's going on? Is it Sarah."
Dennis grunted.
"Yep, it's her," John said with a strong tone ,"What's going on with her?"
"Nothing," said Dennis.
"Your right," said John ," It's probably nothing. You can say your sorry when you get home," John said grinning, knowing exactly what button to press to get to get Dennis to spill the beans.
"Now wait a minute," Dennis contested ," how could you be on her side? I work day in and day out to feed her, and she decides to laze around."
"What do you mean, laze around," said John ," how has that been bothering you? Don't teenagers always act up?"
"Sarah has never been this insufferable," said Dennis, "Not even during puberty."
"Ha," said John in mocking ," Yeah right, perfect 18 year old daughter now turning into Patty Hearst. Your being dumb."
"It's true," said Dennis ," when she was thirteen, she was never in much trouble. You know why? Jason was always a loner, always stuck at home when he was that young. Never joined a sports team, always sat at home watching TV or playing video games. He got a little better when he starts taking care of Crystal, but then I convinced him to try a sport when he was a freshman. He picked football. Within a month, he was friends with everyone on the team, he was doing good in school, and he got Saratoga Springs High School into the championships. I say his scholarship into NYU was well-earned."
"Now that you speak of it," said John ," where is Jason anyways?"
"In Palo Alto, working for one of those new Internet start-ups. I think it's called "goggles" or something, sounds crazy, probably won't last a year," Dennis said.
"Is he coming over this summer to help you with the new bed and breakfast," asked John.
"No, he's gotta spend the summer with his girlfriend's family in San Diego. Nice people, cute girl."
"What about Bella," asked John.
"She's stuck in France with her boyfriend Philippe. Probably won't let her see me for the summer, jerk. I only said he couldn't within a hundred yards of Bella when he was in the house-"
"No, did Bella have problems," asked John.
"Well aside from arguments over skimpy outfits, she seemed fine. Anyways with Sarah early on, I always encouraged her to go out and do things, so she wouldn't be as only as Jason was."
"So you heard no bad news," asked John.
"No, I heard no news," said Dennis. "When you hear nothing, everything is fine."
"Okay," said John, "you've been on good ground until recently.What happened?"
Dennis sighed. "Well, I guess my troubles started a few weeks ago..."
-
3 weeks ago.
On a red couch lied a common species found in the American household. The teenage girl lying down on the couch, her hand tightened over the phone . Her blond hair stretched down her backside. She wore on top a white blouse with a black jacket over it. She was wearing a white mini skirt with grey diamond pattering. She was barefoot, but on the ground next to her were white stockings and white high-heeled shoes. She chattered on and on, seemingly ignoring Christina Aguilera on MTV.
"So that guy was like, I don't know ,totally into Cher," Sarah said into the phone. "Of course I know, didn't you see the way he was staring at her. If only he shaved, they would be so cute together..." her train of thought cut off when someone shot off her MTV.
"I got to call you back. I was watching that," she said.
"I was watching your grades", Dennis said sternly ," and I am not impressed." Dennis shoved a math test into her face, showing her a big red "C".
"Dad, I'm already going to Binghamton", she said ," what's the the big deal?"
"The deal is colleges are still watching you. And I'd hate to see you lose your scholarships."
"Don't worry Dad, I'll-oh I got meet Jenny at the spa Dad, see you later," she said, running out of the room.
"Wait, I'm not done speak-uhh, forget it she won't return for years," he said, slumping down into the couch.
He reached for the remote, he flicked on the TV.
"Next on MTV, Beavis and Butthead!" He looked at the screen and flinched.
"Kids these days," said Dennis, "with their dumb shows.(pause). Man am I getting old."
-
2 weeks ago.
Three people, well dressed, began to walk into the farm house. One was a relatively fat man with graying balding hair, and a dark but graying mustache in a grey business suit, blue shirt and yellow tie. An even fatter and older man walked in. His suit was black and white and seemed to bulge at his waistline, and probably cost more than the month's rent in the Bronx, his head bald, wearing a grey goatee befitting of some less reputable characters. With him, holding his arm was a lady in a brown mink coat. Her hair was grayish and resembled a small hedge. Her face was fair, but wrinkled.
"Well Henry," said the old woman in a voice that would draw the eye of every noblewoman in Norway, " I find this place rather quaint," she shrugged, " certainly a good place for a home cooked country meal."
"Well," said the grey suited Dennis ," Thank you Mrs. Wekkes."
"Please dear," she said, as he took her mink coat, revealing a wholesome purple dress ," call me Martha."
"For your sake Mr. Sadnik," said the big fat guy in tone that was joking, yet somehow sinister, "you better not," and laughed, in that same weird tone.
"No Mr. Wekkes," Dennis said, forcing a smile ," you are my boss of course." Dennis said smiling. "For entrees, we have a delicious mushroom soup with chives, and scallion. For the main course, we will have a filet mignon, with some bread rolls. And for dessert, an apple pie, made with fresh New York State Apples, " he said marching through the door. But when he saw the kitchen, he saw piles upon piles of dirty plates, left unwashed by some wayward youth.
"I'm gonna kill that girl," Dennis muttered under his breath.
"Hold on," he told the couple outside, I have to get everything ready. He saw the dishes, and looked across to the sink, where the window was. He did possibly the second most desperate move of his life.
(Ten minutes later)
Dennis was still carefully putting the dirty plates outside, moving through the window, to slowly put each plate on the stone patio, so they wouldn't break, like with the first three dishes, his mother's gravy bowl, and his collective plate from Jones Beach.
He had just placed the last plate on the patio, when he heard a knock at the kitchen.
"Hey," demanded Mr. Wekkes with a demanding tone ," we want to eat tonight.
"Okay I'm ready," said Dennis.
In walked the Wekkes. Martha couldn't help but take in the aroma.
"This all smells heavenly," said Martha. "You must tell me where you learned to cook like that. But where are the plates?"
"Well that is a funny sto-plates?" Dennis looked and saw he had no plates on the table, nor would there be in the cupboards, since they we're all resting on the patio.
"Let me get them out of the closet," and ran past the confused and hungry couple (well, hungry man) out of the kitchen.
Dennis looked in his closet. He saw paper plates, paper cups, and plastic silverware. He took it out of the closet.
"Here we go," he said, defeated.
-
One week ago
Dennis Sadnik sat watching one of his favorite movies of all time, he couldn't help but shake his head to the beautiful violin and;
"A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask 'Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?' Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition!"
Tradition,TRADITION/
Tradition, TRADITION
Dennis, sat enjoying one of his favorite movies, but some noise was distracting him from watching it. He realized then, rising from his chair, that it came from the barn. He ran to the barn, to check up on his little pony. He ran back red in this face.
His scream was (mostly) covered by the repetition of the chorus.
"SARAH!"
"Tradition, TRADITION!"
A girl in a white tank top and a red miniskirt ran downstairs.
"Yeah dad," Sarah
"I just heard a pony wail out in HUNGER and she was dirty," said Dennis ,"now some girl I know, some girl who when she was little wanted this pony more than anything, who was supposed to do these things this morning. Where was this girl?"
In the background, the song continued;
And who has the right, as master of the house,
To have the final word at home?
The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.
The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.
"She was," said Sarah ," was trying to prevent a fiasco between two friends, you see Gina was..."
"I don't care," said Dennis ,"what I care about is you living up to you bargain to take care of the animal you have cared for since you we're si-",
(RING!)
"Oops," Sarah said, "That's Gina. I better go talk to her before her date heads for disaster."
She ran up the stairs, forgetting about the man with a few choice words.
"Your ability to contact the outside WORLD is headed for disaster if you don't come down here and talk," Dennis shouted, running up the stairs after her.
Meanwhile the TV was still on;
Who must know the way to make a proper home,
A quiet home, a kosher home?
Who must raise the family and run the home,
So Papa's free to read the holy books?
The Mama, the Mama! Tradition!
The Mama, the Mama! Tradition!
-
Present Day
"Okay," said John. He took a moment to contemplate all he heard.
" I can understand you getting upset over the dishes. Using those paper plates could have cost you that promotion. But in the end you said, Mr. Wekkes cared more about the food, and Mrs. Wekkes ended up being impressed with your ingenuity. You got the promotion, which will give more than enough vacation time to work on your bed and breakfast. And you punished Sarah anyways."
"By making her wash the dishes," Dennis said smiling, "outside on the patio, with a tooth brush and a bottle of water. For a week."
"And I can understand you getting made over neglecting Crystal, seeing as she was ignoring her longtime pet," said John "But you got her to take care of her, and took away her phone."
"Yeah," Dennis said grinning ," and I made her use a payphone."
"But the C", said John incredulously,"Senior slump is pretty common. I mean for us growing up, is was probably worse considering we didn't have air conditioning as kids."
"Yeah, I used to roast alive, and me and my friends in Queens would open up a fire hydrant," said Dennis ,"good times."
"But how could these three things make you feel so down. They are teenager mistakes," asked Dennis
"Well" said Dennis hesitantly, "they were...uh build-up."
"Build up," asked John ,"to what?"
"To three nights ago," said Dennis.
-
Dennis sat in his office, going through the mail, barely able to keep out the music playing in the background. He barely controlled himself when she heard his daughter dancing to this Britney Spears.
"Bill, Bill, "Free Carpeting", "Letter from Mom" , "Letter From School," he muttered as he looked through the mail. He stopped. He grabbed the last letter and when into the living room.
He entered the Hall of Noise, which was full of noise. In the middle he saw the cause of the noise, and hoped to reach out to it.
"Sarah," he said, "Sarah." The girl continued.
"Sarah!"
The girl stopped, and turned off the CD player.
"Yes, dad," she said.
"You got a letter from Saratoga High," he said.
Sarah opened the letter. At first she looked shock as she read the contents, and dropped the letter. Dennis was concerned, and waved and hand in front of her face.
"Sarah," he said."Sarah?"
He then heard a noise he hadn't heard in a long time; A sound of a little girl going to a candy store for free.
"Yes, Yes, Yes!"
"What", Dennis asked after uncovering his ears. "What?"
"I won" she cried. "I won, I won, I won,"
"Won what?" Dennis asked.
"Remember that contest I told you about months ago," Sarah asked, " The Saratoga Essay competition?"
"Yeah," said Dennis, "you we're supposed to write about experiences with animals or in nature, and if your in the top ten, you could get a free trip to the Galapagos Islands."
"Yeah, I wrote about my time with Crystal," she said ," my learning how to ride her, how I shared her with mom, and how she made Jason's life better. I got in the top ten! I am going to the Galapagos Islands for the next two months!"
Dennis felt...shocked, astonished, weird. While Sarah kept bouncing around the room. He examined the letter and read the details of the letter.
"Sarah" Dennis said, it said you're supposed to arrive at JFK airport on the 12th of June."
"Yeah, so," asked Sarah.
"That is ten days before graduation," Dennis replied.
"Don't worry," said Sarah ," a lot of kids leave before graduation. As long as you complete certain requirements, they will let you do so, and then they will mail you a diploma."
"Yeah, but you've been getting C's and B's lately," said Dennis, looking at her ," and you need all the time you can get to pull your grades up. Sorry,I don't think you should go." He walked away from her, seemingly on aware of the fire he started.
"But Dad," Sarah said ," It's only like ten days."
"Ten days you can spend working on your GPA. Besides, you can always do this again some other time," said Dennis, not even ate her as he prepared a bowl of cereal.
"No dad, no I can't do this again," Sarah said, getting slightly flustered ," I spent weeks writing that report, editing and re-editing. You even said it would be okay for me to do it."
"I said that months ago," said Dennis, "things have changed around here, and not in ways helped me trust you."
"What's that supposed to mean," Sarah asked, still irate, but barely keeping it in check.
"For the past few weeks," said Dennis rising from his chair ," you've let your grades slip, you've neglected your chores, and you have been slacking your you care for Crystal. The pony you love and cared for. When you we're ten, you would always volunteer to care of the her, when no one else would. No you ignore her, because you're busy with this society crap. How can I trust you'll do the things you're supposed to be doing on the Galapagos Islands, because you'll be too busy in your little fantasy ."
"Dad," said Sarah ," I've just fallen behind a little bit. I still love Crystal, but I've been busy with everything else. College, saying good bye to friends, the prom. But when that's over I promise to shape up."
"Sorry," said Dennis walking away from her with a nonchalant expression ," you haven't proven that before, you've promised to shape up before, but you haven't shaped up. You can't go, because I'm afraid you'll shirk your duty with the other kids. Sorry." Dennis sat in his chair ,munching on his cereal.
"Wow," said Sarah getting even madder ,"YOU said I could do this months ago if I got in. It's not just about missing school, this is about me missing a few grades, which don't even matter since I'm going to Binghamton, and how I don't take care of some pony."
"A few years ago," said Dennis," you would have never referred to Crystal as "some pony." "
"When I was younger," said Sarah getting slightly annoyed ," I couldn't even spell Galapagos. I still love Crystal, but I'm older, and I have a lot of other stuff in my life. And because I don't act 10, you won't let me go on the trip of a lifetime. I'm only going on it because of Crystal, and all my time with her,, which I mentioned in my story."
"While you were busy writing about Crystal," said Dennis, " you ignored everything else. You can't go, end of discussion."
"No dad," said Sarah firmly ," it's not end. I have been responsible. Do you think an irresponsible girl would have gotten 2300 on her SAT s, or 3.7 GPA. Would an irresponsible girl get into Binghamton for free?"
"No," said Dennis ," it's just when taking care of yourself. Your going to be an island full of wild animals. I don't want you to hurt yourself. I'm looking out for you," he said placing his hand on her shoulder.
"No," she said ,"your looking out for yourself. I see what it is you want. You don't want to pay everybody to work in your hotel, so you'll have me do it. Your just using me as your slave."
"No," said Dennis ,"but now that you mention it, maybe making you work here for the summer will teach you some responsibility."
"I don't need to be taught responsibility, and I don't want to be here all summer," Sarah screamed, finally losing her temper.
"Fine, book your own vacation, because you are not going on that trip to the Galapagos," said Dennis, his expression remaining nonchalant.
"Yes I am!"
"No your not!"
" Yes I am."
"Sorry," Dennis said ," but you can't go, case closed," he continued to munch his cereal in his chair.
"Why are you treat me like a BABY," Sarah screamed, annoyed by his behavior.
"Because you always act like one," Dennis said, remaining stoic.
"Well you now want you act like," said Sarah, her hesitation now gone. She circled the chair, and got in front of him. "You act like a fat, broken down loser, with a dead wife. Oh wait you are one. Ever since Mom died," Sarah continued, Dennis' expression starting to waver ," you always act desperate, asking me "You want to go somewhere," or something. You talk about Crystal, but you haven't ridden her since then, probably because you'll crush her with your fatness. I bet if mom saw you like this, she would gladly put herself in the grave."
Dennis clenched his lips, his temper starting to waver. "Don't bring your mother into these conversations. Now insult me all you want, but your NOT going," he said, barely under control.
"Yeah, mom would go crazy seeing you," Sarah said, getting angry ,"but now all you do when your angry is eat food. See your eating that cereal right now. Mom would just up and walk away from you if she saw how fat and pathetic you really are. Then again maybe you we're always like this, and Mom just felt sorry for yo-,"
SMASH! was heard as a cereal bowl was thrown across the room and broken in two, the milk and soggy cereal hitting the ground. Sarah flinched, having never seen her father act like this.
"Listen you little brat," Dennis said through clinched teeth ," I don't need to her this from you. I work hard and take care of you, I watch out for you, and all you do is insult me. Don't EVER talk to me like that. You are not going and that's FINAL!"
"But," said Sarah.
"Not one word, Sarah," he said sitting down.
"How about three," Sarah said tearing up, " I HATE YOU!" Dennis looked at her in shock.
She took the keys to the Cavalier, and ran out of the house. Dennis got up and chased after her.
"Sarah, GET BACK HERE," Dennis screamed. But by the time she got out, she drove off.
Dennis simply stared at the road, as she saw the car going away, the tail lights the only thing visible as she drove off into the dark.
-
"I'm sorry," said John ,"it's hard when kids run away."
"She didn't really run away," said Dennis, "she's staying at her friend Gina's house. Her parents called and told me she didn't want to see me. And that they'd let her stay for a few days. I'll let her stay for a week and cool off."
"And what if she doesn't," said John.
"I'll call the cops on Gina's parents for kidnapping," he said bluntly and nonchalantly. He noticed John's glare. "Hey watch the road, McQueen" said Dennis. John saw he was driving on the opposite side of the road and corrected himself.
"I understand her being upset about not going," said Dennis ," but why did she have to say that."
"Maybe your remembering when Lindsay's old boyfriend came up all told you those words," said John.
"Yeah," said Dennis, "he nearly killed our relationship. But Sarah didn't know. I shouldn't have barked at Sarah. But I didn't want her leaving school early John, with her grades and poor manners."
"Or...maybe..leave," John muttered.
"What was that," asked Dennis, feeling paranoid.
John took a breath, "I'm saying maybe you just didn't want her to leave."
"What" asked Dennis
"It's not the grades you care about. I saw how upset you we're when you told me Jason and Bella were out for the summer. Now your littlest child, who you thought you could spend one last summer with, is going away and your afraid of having all these rooms to rent to potential strangers."
"You don't know what your talking about," said Dennis.
"Oh no," said John."I'm 65 years old. All my kids are grown up now with their own lives. I felt the same way you do now. It's hard when your kids go away, I know. And when your plans to spend one last trip with them go up because they have other plans. That sucks. But the tighter you hold them, the more likely you'll break them."
"John," said Dennis," you don't know anything. That girl is less responsible than when she was ten."
"When she was ten," said John ," as I hear it, you told her "go out and see the world". Now she can see it, in a way she earned, and in a way that won't cost you a dime. Think about what Lind-"
Dennis stopped him only with a great big glare.
"Alright ,sorry," said John.
"Just pull over to my house," said Dennis, then he looked at his watch, and was stunned. "Man we've been driving for a half hour now- wait where are we."
John looked up and shock, "I don't know, I guess I was distracted by the talk, I'm sure we didn't go to far."
They both stopped when they saw a wooden sign in front of them.
LAKE GEORGE BEACH STATE PARK
OPERATED BY
STATE OF NEW YORK
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
"You drove us all the way to Lake George" Dennis said, dismayed.
"I must have turned onto Route 9 North by mistake," said John, forcing a smile.
"Let me drive," said Dennis.
"Yeah that's probably a good idea," said John ,"I lose focus when I talk. Just like the time with the fondue. Oh the Fire Department-,"
"Just give me the keys," said Dennis.
-
They pulled up to Dennis' house around 7 p.m. The sun was starting to set, and the sun glowed orange.
They both got out.
"Thanks for the ride," said Dennis forced.
"Will you stop being a jerk already. Look I shouldn't have brought up Lindsay, I know. But at least hear me out." Dennis remained stoic. "Just let go already, stop sitting in the past, your hurting yourself. And ask yourself "Did your parents make you give up the trip of a lifetime over a few lousy grades."
John got into his car, leaving Dennis to think.
But dad. No buts, you little putz. You got a D, and while your graduating, you don't get to go to Saratoga Springs. I expect perfection from you. I expected too much. Saul please. No Marion. He isn't responsible enough for me to let him go. He'll spend the summer working in the shop. I hate you.
Dennis regained his concentration when he heard John's motor pull out. He saw the lights on upstairs, and knew who was there waiting for him. He decided to go to the farmhouse, and hideout with his equine friend.
-
Dennis took his jacket and shirt off, wearing a T-Shirt and Jeans, as he washed Crystal. She had grown quite a lot, and was now about 12 and half hands high. She sat there, letting Dennis wash her brown coat.
"Kids," said Dennis ,"you look out for them, and then they turn on you. Feed them, change their diapers," he said. "Your lucky you don't have to reproduce," he told the pony, who seemed to shake her head.
" I mean, it's important to keep an eye on your kids when you don't think they can make it. I mean she used to take good care of you. I remember she was 9 and..."
"Stop living in the past", he remembered John saying. Than ended his flashback.
He put down the sponge and went to get a towel from the cupboard at the end of the barn. As he pulled out a white towel, a pink card fell out. Dennis dropped the towel and picked it up. On the cover was, "Happy Valentine's Day, Denny," written on a blue plane with a heart in the cockpit.
Oh yeah, thought Dennis This is the card that Lindsay gave me our first Valentine's Day here.
He opened it but found a message he hadn't seen before. Something Lindsay wrote before she passed.
He read it. He punched hit lips up, and dropped the car, his eyes beginning to water. A wet pony trotted up to him, and began nuzzling his leg, wetting his jeans. He ignored the moistness he began feeling in his pants.
"Your right Crystal," Dennis said." I know what I must do."
-
Lying on white bed was a teenager. She was wearing a black miniskirt, and a white tank top. Her room was pink, decorated with posters of pop stars and male supermodels. In the corner on a table was a grey PC, operating on Windows 98.
The girl was woken from her trance when she heard knocking.
"Sarah," more knocking ,"Sarah we need to talk."
"Are you gonna let me go on vacation," asked Sarah.
"Just let me in," said Dennis. Sarah paused, before unlocking the door.
Dennis walked in, a glum look on his face, still wearing the T-Shirt and Jeans. The father and daughter stood there, neither one of them saying a word.
"So," said Dennis, trying to relieve tension ,"you came back on your own, that's pretty big of you."
"No," said Sarah ," Gina's parents kicked me out. They said I ate too much."
"Yeah, well," Dennis said rubbing the back of his head.
"Are you going to let me go?" screamed Sarah
"Just listen," said Dennis, walking over Sarah's bed. " I was washing Crystal, and I found an old Valentine's Day card. It was the one your mother gave me-."
"This better not be one of your lame love stories," said Sarah.
"JUST LISTEN, sheesh," said Dennis ,"I found that sometime before mom you know, " Lindsay calmed down, "she wrote me a poem of some kind. I want you to read it.
Sarah picked it up and began reading.
Hey my love, don't you wait,
for this world is big, many wonders great.
See all you can, but don't wait up for me.
We maybe together, us and no contender
But do you want to now what makes me.
Skies Blue, Ocean's clean
Mountain great Pastures Green
That I wish you'd see
But don't wait for me.
Yes our love is strong,
No one else can belong,
But let me help you see
The world, in all it's beauty
If you want to see it fine,
but don't wait for me.
Our love is infinite, our time is not,
So if you care, hear my thoughts.
This world is grand, so lovely and free
But if you love it, than it something to see,
but if I get a cold, or if my time is cut,
Please don't fall into a rut,
I want you to live, this world so free
If you love me, let go, go see,
and don't wait up for me.
By now the card was stained with tears. Sarah's eyes watered, and she didn't resist when her former worst enemy sat in her bed to put his hairy arm around his shoulder.
"Honey," Dennis said, before swallowing and breathing ,"your growing up. I can't stop that. But I'm only realizing it now. It's just that," He stopped, letting some tears fall down. "When I was telling you know, I originally thought you weren't ready." He breathed. "But now I realize I wasn't ready. Your my last child. And I was hoping to spend some time with you before you went to college. But when you told me about the trip." He paused, looking at his daughter who gave him an understanding look. "We know what happened. I thought you were leaving me, and I tried to latch on to you." Tears began to flow from his eyes. "I'm sorry. I know now I can't stop you, how I can't make you wait up for me. But it's just I miss your brother and your big sister, and your mom," he stopped, and began to cry. His tears were plugged by someone hugging him and rubbing her head into his chest.
"It's okay dad," Sarah said in a gentle voice ," I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have said those mean things to you. It's just I thought you were spiting me over the dishes."
"No," said Dennis, "I deserved it."
"No," said Sarah ," you were just upset about me leaving. I'm sorry for not seeing that. I was just so excited..."
Sarah stopped when she felt a strong hand lift her head out of her chest to face her father, his eyes warm.
"No you should be excited," Dennis said smiling. "It's not everyday you get to see a cool island. I want you to do these things. I want you to see the world. Especially since this time it won't cost me a dime."
Lindsay couldn't help but chuckle at hear father's statement. They both hugged, their first great hug in a while.
"Besides, I'll still have Crystal," he said. "We cool?"
"Yeah, we cool," said Lindsay.
"In all this hoopla," Dennis said, as he rose up from the bed ,"I didn't make dinner. Why don't we celebrate your winning at Merino's with a pizza."
"Sure that sounds fine," said Sarah.
"But your buying," said Dennis ," this is your trip."
"Ha-Ha," said Lindsay.
"No I'm serious," said Dennis as he walked out of the room, clearly not serious ," Pizza costs money."
Lindsay only chased after him.
-
June 12th
An old Cavalier pulled up to the entrance to Albany International Airport. It was early morning, with the sun still in the, the air still cool. The building had a wood brown exterior, a see-through canopy covering the exits. Protruding from the building in the background was a blue glass walkway that connected to another building. Out stepped a girl wearing casual clothes. She went to the trunk of the car and pulled out a massive luggage.
Sarah walked up to the driver's window, who rolled it up.
"Take your stuff inside," said Dennis ," I'll go find a place to park."
"Okay," said Lindsay, as she walked inside the building.
-
Dennis and Sarah walked up and reached the security.
"Okay honey," said Dennis ,"this is as far as I go. Remember, when you land at JFK, go to gate-,"
"I know," Lindsay whined, "I heard it a million times."
"I'm just looking out for you," said Dennis ,"like I always do."
"Yeah, well, I'll see you in a month," said Sarah.
"Yeah well, see ya," Dennis said, before Lindsay took him into a big, warm hug.
"I got to go," said Lindsay before turning around, and walking to the checkpoint. She never looked back, while the father never stopped looking as she walked away.
Finally she was gone. Dennis turned around, and went back to find his car.
-
June 24th
A few weeks passed since Dennis left Lindsay at the airport, and over a week passed since the beginning of summer. Now he was the owner and operator of the Upstate Inn. He originally was planning on calling it "Sadnik's place," but then his friends reminded him that he needed a name that didn't sound, depressing. Dennis sat in his office still awaiting that first call, for his first guest, while playing some weird game on his computer. But then he heard his doorbell ring, instead of his phone and ran up to check up on it.
"Yeah," Dennis said as he opened his front door. "Can I help-," and what he saw he almost couldn't comprehend.
There were two college age girls in front of him, but that wasn't the shocking part. The one on his right had long white hair, with streaks of light blue. The other's hair flowed all the way to the shoulders, but was half cobalt blue, and half fuchsia all the way down the middle.
"Hello," spoke the white haired girl in a slow but strong voice "My name his Lyra Hart, and this is my friend Bonnie Sweets, we are college stu-dents," the white hair girl looked toward her friend who nodded, as if to confirm something, "Yeah college students looking for a place to stay."
Dennis kept staring, all the while, new suns we're creating in the time he stared.
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and United Artists, for one of my favorite movies.