I slowly try to push through the fog and cobwebs to a state of semi-consciousness. My scratchy, sticky eyes will not open quite yet. I hear rain in the distance. Once my still sleepy brain clears a bit, I recognize the rain is not rain at all – it’s actually the bathroom shower. Slowly the day begins to come into focus. Ready or not, John has an early morning flight to Pittsburgh.
I try to roll over but Annabelle has pinned my leg. It is numb. Carefully extricating myself, I shift to the other side, re-establishing blood flow to that dying limb. Without warning, I am jolted wide awake with one whiff of my pungent pillowcase. Ugh! Eau de Schnauzer! During the day, if Annabelle is not up to some type of puppy shenanigan, she can be found recharging on my pillow. It is 4:30 a.m.
John flips on the television and overhead lights, and begins to open and close drawers. He is packing. He packs the morning of his trip, no matter how early the flight. I feign sleep and dare not breathe so that Lucy and Annabelle do not decide to begin their day as well. I shall not walk dogs at 4:30 a.m. I am quiet and still. I listen to the sounds of this morning.
The news reporters apparently have misplaced their script. Or perhaps the early bird newscast is just a time for improvisation practice while reporting on North Texas fluff? Who watches at 4:30 anyhow? Joe Biden will be in town today – yippee! A man in Plano was caught “cloning” Walmart gift cards. Now I’m no scientist, but doesn’t cloning involve genes and DNA and tissue and embryonic cells and biological stuff? Interesting word choice for a piece of hard plastic used to buy toilet paper. Other breaking news: Kim Kardashian was spotted at the Galleria with Khloe. I will never understand the world’s fascination with the Kardashian Klan. I cannot fathom it. Who cares if Kris is in Miami? Or if Khloe was adopted? It wouldn’t surprise me in the least to learn the whole gaggle of sisters had been cloned. Nor would I care. And who knew there were two younger daughters, Kylie and Kendall? (I didn’t until I googled them, no doubt adding to their popularity.) No one keeps up with poor Kylie and Kendall because their last name is Jenner. There is just no alliteration there. Bor–r-r-ring.
John plops t-shirts on the window seat cushion, somehow managing to make this sound noisy. He stacks and re-stacks these shirts as if arranging a display table at The Gap. I am very familiar with his packing routine. Although I do not open my eyes – I can feel Annabelle staring at me – I know John is contemplating what to take with him. He checks his iPad for the weather in Pittsburgh. He is talking to himself. He opens the drawer in the nightstand right beside my head which startles me a bit. He doesn’t visit that drawer very often – it is home to his winter things, rarely needed in Dallas. The hardwood floors creaked under his heavy steps. Is he stomping on purpose or has he decided to wear his heavy Halloween Frankenstein shoes today? Not the best shoes for airport security. And, isn’t he only staying 2 days! From my spot in bed, it sounded as if he was packing for Europe. Would he go to Europe without me!? Or, did he pick this very moment in time to organize his drawers? As he walks back into his closet again, it hits me – he is like my dad. He’s up – we should all be up….? He was channeling Thomas Tate!
So it’s true. Girls turn into their mothers and marry someone just like their fathers. We resist it, we deny it, but then suddenly it has happened. Just like that. There were a few similarities: work hard, provide well, grumble a bit, take care of business and family, vacation when forced, avoid doctors:)
Today would have been my dad’s 75th birthday, but he died of colon cancer when he was only 57. So Incredibly Young. Daddy was a farmer. He awoke before the chickens no matter the season/weather and blasted us all out of bed to the melodic tunes of Willie Nelson. In a 1970s renovation, my clever, hip mother installed groovy stereo speakers in all the rooms throughout the house. In the ceiling, above the beds. He wrote the check for them, but the Tate girls paid the price every single morning.
Although I was blasted out of bed this morning by doggie smelling salts, the television and harsh overhead lights, I think I heard “Good Hearted Woman” in the back of my head. As soon as he returns from Europe, I’m going to make sure John gets a colonoscopy. But first I am going to wash my sheets.
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| Thomas Lee Tate Happy Birthday! Jan 31, 1937 |
talya
Musical Pairings:
Willie Nelson, “Pretty Paper”
Don Williams, “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend”
Bee Gees, “Jive Talking”
Willie Nelson, “Pretty Paper”
Don Williams, “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend”
Bee Gees, “Jive Talking”
I loved, loved, loved this. It really took me back. I finally pulled the wires loose in my closet that brought country music to the speaker over my head.I did this one morning at four o’clock. theBAT
very sweet, Talya … happy birthday to your dad!
Another fine one!
Very good! I could picture it all in my mind just like I was there…which, if I were I would still be soundly sleeping in “my” bedroom cause I can sleep thru a tornado!! Happy Birthday to TT!!
Judy Hudson Wolverton I truly enjoyed this! I tell my daughter she married her father. She says she didn’t , but she did and I married mine. lol We were poor sharcroppers from Ark.
but some of things are the same. Keep up the writing!!!
Happy Birthday to your dad! I’m sad I never knew him, but he must’ve been a great man as, along with The Bat, they made you who you are… and Lord knows I couldn’t live without you! 🙂
Thomas is the only person who ever called me by my first name “Johnnie.” He was a good guy, and I loved to hear him talk about farming.
I laughed harder the second time I read this. I believe this is my favorite, Talya.
Well I just re-lived it this morning. John’s off to Atlanta…
Loved this. Thanks again for sharing Talya…and your mother made me laugh with her post….thanks Mrs. Barbara for sharing that piece of info. Take care, Gracie’s Mazie