And Now For Something Completely Different

 I have another rant going on but I'm not done with it yet.  It's Sunday and I sure could use a day of peace & quiet.  I found a scan disk with a lot of old writing on it.  This story is over 10 years old and is a sort of re-telling of a fairy tale.  Readers will figure out which one early on.  Enjoy!

Hazel's Dilemma

 

            Hazel sipped at her steaming cup of tea, luxuriating in the comforting warmth curling up to her nose.   Birds fluttered by, chirping merrily and Hazel was drawn to her kitchen window to watch them celebrating the morning.    She settled down in her chair at the table to relax and watch the birds flock to the feeder she’d erected for them in her spacious back yard.  The picture window in the kitchen was by far the selling point of her tiny home.

            “We made a very wise purchase, didn’t we, Jim?”  She thought with a bittersweet smile.  Her eyes went to his chair, now empty, where he used to sit contentedly beside her.  I certainly will enjoy a lot more privacy here.  I won’t be bothered with family overnight for there’s no room for everyone to stay!  I can do as I please when I please!

            The realization pleased her to no end.  She’d had enough of caretaking.  She’d doted on her children Cee Cee, Tommy  Tom, Jimsy and Dee Dee, catering to their every need and whim.  Mothering was fun at first but then the children began to grow up.    She and Jim didn’t agree on how the children should be disciplined.  Jim would put them into time out and she’d feel sorry for them, go behind his back, and set them free.  To her horror and shame, none of them learned a lick of responsibility and were frequently unemployed, down and out, homeless, or in some kind of trouble.

            Hazel had never understood the concept of a mama bird pushing her babies out of the next until her own became adults.  They didn’t want to help around the house, didn’t appreciate anything and expected everything.   It was time for them to go.  It wasn’t easy to get them out but they’d done it—only to have one or the other come back for a time.  A job was lost or the car engine was blown or there was some other reason one of the children had to return. 

            “They’re never going to learn if you keep letting them come back, “ Jim complained.

            “I just can’t let them be homeless,” Hazel would say.

When whichever adult child moved in, the old problems would begin again:  no help around the house, a sense of entitlement and no appreciation.  The frustration would begin again as Hazel felt herself losing control of her house.  She knew Jim was right but just couldn’t say no to her needy children.

            “What are we going to do about this?”  Jim asked.  “Our shoe is too big for us to manage now and the children will always keep coming back to us because you just can’t say no to them!”

            “Let’s buy a smaller shoe!”  Hazel said impulsively.

            They went out looking before Hazel could change her mind.  They found the perfect little loafer and made an offer on it immediately.  Now they could be free at last to enjoy a life of their own choosing, one that didn’t include the needs of selfish children.  Unfortunately, Jim fell ill soon after that and she found herself taking care of him.  Hazel felt more and more strained as her husband’s health continued to fail.  After a year, he very passed away and Hazel grieved.

            Although Hazel missed her husband terribly, there was still a sense of freedom to being able to enjoy this cup of tea without having to bring medicine to Jim or to clean up after one of the children.  Today was certainly going to be a beautiful day!  She wondered what she might do.  She could go for a walk on the footpath through the woods.  She could call a friend and make lunch plans.  She could go to the library and browse through their shelves of books.  The possibilities were limitless!

            The phone rang.   It was Cee Cee, unmarried and with three small children.  “Mama, I got to go outta town for a job training and I need you to watch the kids,” she said.

            “Out of town?  For how long?”  Hazel asked.

            “A week I guess,” Cee Cee replied offhandedly.

            “But I have no room for the little darlings,” Hazel protested, picturing a wild tribe of aborigines leaping over her furniture and knocking over her knick knacks.  Cee Cee had even less control over her children than Hazel had ever had.

            “But, mama, if you can’t take them, I’ll lose my job!  I won’t get paid and then I’ll be out on the street because I haven’t paid the rent in almost two months.”

            Hazel groaned, shuddering inwardly.  She couldn’t have her grandchildren on the streets because their mother was so irresponsible.  She supposed she could put them into the spare room.  They were all still small enough to fit a double bed.  “All right,” she acquiesced, saying good bye to all the potential plans of the day.

            Suddenly the lovely day wasn’t so beautiful anymore.  Her daughter came by and dropped her grandchildren off.  The children were immediately restless and began to chase each other around the house.  “Go outside and play!” she called ineffectively.

            “It’s too hot Gran’ma!”  One of the children called back.  “Can’t we play video games?”

            “I don’t have video games,” she answered and they looked at her as if she was an alien with purple skin.  “Why don’t we play a nice game of cards?  How about Crazy Eights?”

            In answer, one child tagged another and they chased each other around the house again.

            Oh dear, thought Hazel.  What will I do?  They didn’t seem to want to walk outside, complaining it was too hot.  Maybe she could take them to the mall?   What if they started demanding things?  That was a very real possibility.  Maybe she could take them to the movies.  There must be a Disney movie playing somewhere!

            The phone rang again.  This time it was Dee Dee’s neighbor.  It seemed Dee Dee and her husband had been arrested for selling drugs to an undercover police officer that morning.  The neighbor was calling to see if Hazel would take in the four children.  If not, they’d have to go to Child Protective Services.

            Dazed, Hazel agreed, wondering what on earth she was going to do now.  She thought to call Tommy Tom and ask for help.  Maybe he could take some of the children.

            “Well, I might do it, Ma,” Tommy Tom said slowly as a heavy bass made Hazel’s ear piece vibrate, “but we got to move.  I’m packing the truck now, matter of fact.”

            “Again?  But why?”  Hazel asked, dismayed.

            “Aw, they say we play our music too loud and have loud parties and crap,” Tom Tom replied with a snort.  “Can you believe that?  I mean, I’m listening to something now.  It’s not loud, right?”

            Hazel just said goodbye and hung up.  Jimsy already lived under a bridge and wouldn’t be able to help at all.  He’d been working on her to move into the spare bedroom and she’d resisted so far but felt herself wavering.

            By the end of what had now become a miserable day, Hazel was beside herself.  The seven children were running rampant through her loafer, knocking over and breaking her cherished knickknacks.  Where would they all sleep?  She thought she’d figured it out but now had all these extra bodies.  She supposed she’d have to give up her bed, too, and sleep in her recliner.  What about feeding them?  Normally, she’d make a full dinner but after all the destruction the children had wrought, she just didn’t feel like it.  Some Campbell’s chicken broth would do.  Maybe they’d get the message.

            As she started to open cans of soup, she heard another loud crash.  Wearily, she dropped into her kitchen chair.  She just didn’t know what to do!