12th October

That's right! You guessed it!
It's Character Sketch time! *wheeeeee*

I'll probably make another blog later. Maybe. >_o

LONG DISTANCE PHONE CALLS

“Yes, okay Mum, tonight when I go to bed I promise that I’ll make sure to lock the front door before I sleep.”

“You see! That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

“No Mum. I just don’t see the point in locking the door when there’s an alarm on anyway, and the chain’s across. Danger doesn’t go to bed until way after I do, because she doesn’t need to be up until after me-”

“Danger? Who is Danger?”

“Oh for goodness sake, Mum. We go through this every day. Just because you’re a non-living non-breathing trickle of residue on the phone line it does not give you the right to harass me like this every morning before work. One of these days you’re going to make me late!”

“It’s my duty to look after my youngest daughter,” my mother prattled. I put one hand to my forehead and sighed. What was worse than getting up early on a Monday morning for a dentist’s appointment before work? Getting up early for a dentist’s appointment before work, only to have the phone ring just seconds before I left the house. I thought today she might have forgotten, or at least that by leaving early I might avoid the conversation.

“Mum, I’m your only daughter,” I corrected her. “And besides, I’m not so little any more. Don’t you think it’s time you left me alone for a little while? You didn’t ring me this often back when you were alive, so what’s your excuse?”

“I have a lot more free time on my hands, now,” my mother complained. “It’s not like you’ve got anywhere else to be, anyway! Wouldn’t you rather talk to me instead?”

“Not really Mum,” I said to her honestly. I switched the phone to my other ear and attempted to apply another layer of lipstick in front of the hall mirror before leaving. It didn’t matter that it would only get messed up in the dentist’s office anyway; I wanted to make a good impression. “Look Mum, I told you yesterday. I’m not heading straight for work today, I have that appointment, and I’d hate to do it but if you don’t let me go I’m going to be late and I’ll have to put the phone down on you. Can we do this later, please?”

“Oh I wish you wouldn’t brush me off, so! You always act like you’re so old, and you don’t need me any more. And all I was doing was ringing up to make sure that you were okay and that you hadn’t been raped, or worse burgled in the night!” she let out a gasp of shock, and I could picture her shaking her head in shame at the gossip that might ensue.

“Sure, I know you care less about me than my money, Mum, but seriously. I am old enough to look after myself now. Come on, let me go or I’ll put the phone down. You can ring me later, I promise. When I get in from work. How about that?”

“Oh alright, alright,” she muttered airily. “If you really must go I guess I’d better not make you late.” I checked my watch. I was already late. Rolling my eyes I made a move towards the table on which the phone cradle rested. “I’ll call you tonight then, Apple. Mhmm?”

“Yes Mum, you can call me tonight. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Good bye lovee! Good bye!”

There was a brief buzz as she residue dissipated, and then the line went dead. I have to admit, she really was making this difficult for me recently. With a toss of my head to dislodge a curl that had gotten itself stuck to my ear, I set the alarm and left the building, wondering if she’d ever just leave me alone. It really was difficult to move on and grieve when every day I could expect a phone call from the woman who was supposed to be dead.

It made me wonder, really, if it was just me. Do I attract the weird things in life? I think I must.