L - The Super Bowl

My Super Bowl Sunday is generally spent at Brandon Hartwig’s house for his birthday.  I’ve only missed 2 years since 4^th grade.  This year was the first year we actually spent time watching it, in previous years our time was spent on the Puppy Bowl or playing hide and go seek.  I didn’t know who was playing until the day before and I decided to go with The Patriots because they lost the last time they faced the Giants so naturally they’d come back ready to win.   Well…it didn’t turn out so well.  BUT as always the food was fabulous and the cake was even better.   I ate my weight in rye bread and French onion dip on top of the few pounds of Sherbet Punch I drank.  The Super Bowl is cool and all but I watch it mainly for the performances.  This year M.I.A performed with Madonna and M.I.A is my girl. In previous weeks I saw her new music video for her new single Bad Girls.  Naturally the song has been on repeat through the past few weeks.  The Super Bowl was worth watching because of her. 

                This Super Bowl we stayed later and watched The Voice together and it was actually really cool.  I hadn’t ever watched the show before but it definitely got me excited for American Idol this season. Which is really good by the way.  So, that is my Super Bowl experience.

                In future years I will be in college so I’m sure that there will be bigger events and many more fans participating in the fun so I will be more invested next football season. I look forward to meeting people who are invested because that gives me a reason to watch…otherwise I will forget.

Yay for college, yay for parties, yay for good food, yay that this blog is over J



K4) Part Two

PART TWO

July 1^st 9:46pm;

I’m back and I’m sure you’re wondering where I am and why I’m in the same room with this kid.  Well, his name is Ronnie, and he’s 14 years old. He’s here for the same reason I am…kind of.  His brother, who is trying to sleep next to me, is here for the same reason and Ronnie had to come with him because there was no one else to watch him.  Joshia is a year older than me and a sophomore in college at the age of 19.

                I haven’t had time to write because on the plane Ronnie, Joshia, and I spoke about how our parents met and what little we knew about the situation and yesterday we were out all day exploring our new home for the summer.

                That Friday while I was saying goodbye to Auntie Ess and Nana I heard a car horn, and I thought it was Uncle Dev so I ran out the door and stopped about one foot from where Joshia stood.  My face must have given me away because he said, “You must be Elizabeth.”

                “Just Beth, but yes, and who are you?” I asked him.

                “I’m Joshia.” He extended his hand to shake mine. I ignored him in my confusion so he continued to explain himself while grabbing my bags and walking towards his car.  It was a blue Chevy truck, parked next to the Beetle. “I got a call from your Uncle about an hour ago saying that he told you about your parents and you wanted to go to Europe, too.”

                “‘Too’… as in you also want to go?” I asked.

                “Yes. I have begged him to tell me I can go many times before today. Finally, I am able to go because you weren’t going to take no for an answer.”  He was quick at packing up the truck. He opened the door for me and I sat in the front seat.  All the while, I’m trying desperately to figure out who this guy was.  How did he know my Uncle?  How did he find out about his parents?  Did he get a note, too?

                “Hi!” I heard from the backseat.  I turned quickly and found a little boy eating cheese puffs staring at me. “I’m Ronnie.” He paused and after he checked me out he started, “ Dammm--“

                “Ronnie, don’t say it.” Joshia cut him off and turned to me. “So, we have about 2 hours before our plane leaves so I figure we can drive to the airport, check in, and wait for the plane. I’m sure there is plenty to keep us busy.” He laughed.

                “Yeah,” I said dazedly “I guess so.”

I used the mirror to put on lip gloss and found Ronnie staring at me with a smile. “Joshia, who is he?”

                “That’s my brother Ronnie. You can just ignore him.” He replied nonchalantly.

That began my trip to Europe.  We did get to the airport on time and had about 15 minutes to spare.  Joshia explained that his Mother and Father have been acting suspicious since last summer so he took matters into his own hands.  He started by taking their phones and tracking numbers and realizing the area codes weren’t from the United States so he asked questions.  They refused to answer him because it was “nothing to worry about” so when he found Uncle Dev’s number under the name “Good Source” he called and asked what he offered. Uncle Dev tried to cover himself but Joshia came right out with what he wanted to know. Which was what were him and Joshia’s parents doing on all these phone calls. Joshia told him that his parents didn’t know that he knew about Uncle Dev so they could meet secretly.  They met last month and when Joshia was shown his own note that sounded similar to mine he began to ask to come to Europe to fight this battle himself. 

                I had to explain that there was no battle but we were going to find our parents and help with the case. His only reply was “Or we can solve the case ourselves.”

                So here we are now, in Europe for the second night.  We’re in a hotel on a busy street in London that only hasone queen and a single bed.  Ronnie begged for the single and because he snores and kicks in his sleep and Joshia promised to keep to his side of the bed, so I agreed to share a bed with Joshia.  

Tomorrow begins our journey.  We have talked strategy and explored the back streets of London in a taxi cab.  Whoever threatened us can’t know we’re here so we’ll have to outthink him.  We know that our parents will call us daily and we’ll answer to cover ourselves.  Of course it will add a lot the money on our phone bill but they won’t see that until after we catch the true murderer of  Kahi Macer.  We can worry about the bill when we get back.

                For now, Joshia is complaing that the light is still on.

K2.) Part One

June 28^th 4:30pm;

Well, I’m back, sleeping in the “bird room” for the second summer in a row. I hope that this summer will be a little different from last summer; it’s hard to believe that it could be worse. When I got here Nana and Auntie Ess greeted me with joy and I didn’t want to be rude so I pretended to be just as excited.  I understand that Mom and Dad want to “see the world” but I don’t understand why I can’t go with them.  I have the time and we certainly have the money so there has to be another reason…

 I can’t think about it now, I have to meet Uncle Dev for dinner at Racko’s. 

Ugh… I have to drive the beetle.

9:30pm;

Remember when I said I couldn’t think about why my parents won’t let me go to Europe with them? Well as it turns out, I didn’t have to.  Uncle Dev talked to me during dinner, trying to have a heart to heart, which just turned into me asking questions. He said that “Your parents aren’t who you think they are. They aren’t exploring the architecture in Europe.  They’re working with an agent to investigate the Kahi Murder.”

                “My parents are involved in the Kahi Murder?” I asked incredulous.

                “Not directly but they’ve been asked to help with the investigation.”

                “Uncle, that has been over for 5 years now.  They’ve stopped looking. His killer confessed!”

He looked at me like he knew I would say that. Sighing he said “Beth, you’re right it has been put to rest but the government doesn’t know about the investigation.  This is not a federal case.” He paused as my face changed from disbelief to confusion and worry. “Your parents are involved in an underground company set up to frame the real killer.”

I thought about the logistics of his statement and I couldn’t find a flaw other than “Why my parents? They are prison guards.”

                “Prison guards who watched over the alleged Kahi murderer.” He went on “Your parents have been working from home since February of last year, searching through evidence, secret meetings with other agents and many late nights researching the back streets of Europe.  They stopped after last summer, when they found what they thought was very little evidence, until the anniversary of their initial research when they got a letter in the mail.” He looked at me with sympathy and gave me the letter.

                Hello Elizabeth,

I am writing to inform you of the risky and highly dangerous business your parents are involved in. Dangerous how? You may be thinking. 

                It’s only dangerous because they’ve entered the wrong territory.

 Now I’m after you.

                Sincerely, Gronge.

My stomach flipped and suddenly my burger looked poisonous.  I looked up at Uncle Dev. My parents are in another country trying to find the real killer of a murder the government thinks is solved.  Now the real killer is after me because my parents are too close to catching him.

Here I sit, in the “bird room” on the bed. I’ve just finished repacking my bags.

                “If he wants me, he can find me in Europe. Pick me up in an hour; I’ll have two tickets booked, if you choose not to come I won’t blame you.” I told my Uncle just before leaving the restaurant. It’s been an hour. It’s time to leave.

With or without him.

K1.) Alvan

It’s been 17 years since this day, October 28^th, 1990 and I have always thought this book was stupid idea. Why would I ever need it? “Why take pictures Mom? Live in the moment!” I used to say to her as I stood mechanically in front of the Red Robbin mascot or with Mickey at Disney World.

“You never know, Honey, this may become a big part of your life one day.” She’d respond with her beautiful smile; and she was right, as Mom always is. This day and this particular memory stood out vividly though I was only five. His hands were rough on my arm but I knew he meant no harm, he was a strong man.  He showed me the boat and told me the story of when he rode that very boat across the Atlantic.  I remember thinking how heroic he was, so brave.  He was who I wanted to be.

I heard the door open and footsteps before she spoke. “It’s beautiful. How late was it? It seems so dark out.”

It was Kali. She came and sat next to me smelling of violets and vanilla with a hint of red wine.

“It was early, around 5 am. He woke me up along with my Mother, as promised.” I turned the book towards her. “The boat was his. He gave it to a group of fishermen after he came back from his trip. It had been over 20 years since he saw it last but he knew they were coming to town that morning.”

She responded by taking my hand in hers.  It was warm today, which came as a surprise to me because I am used to a slight chill. I looked her in the eye and she smiled with a hint of sympathy. I didn’t finish the story, I didn’t need to. She knew I’d tell her someday, maybe when I was telling my own son. We sat in comfortable silence, with her hand in mine. The grandfather clock rang at the hit of 7:00pm. Kali moved with a quick motion, startled, realizing the time. She paused before getting up and looked at me.  She wiped the only tear from my cheek.

“It’s time to say goodbye, Alvan. I’ll see you down there.” She kissed me on the forehead just before leaving.

I found out about his sickness just before my college graduation, it shattered my world because he acted so normal. So brave. After 6 months of hospital visits and late night ambulances he finally said his last words. That was three days ago.

“The boat returns in 7 days. Go for me, Alvan.”

“I will, I’ll go.”

Now I stand in my suit and tie, pick up the book and think to myself, Thank you Mom.