Hi folks! I'm Kitty Chatain, and let me tell you all about my great mom, Katerina! After eating jello my
childhood, we finally get to eat hamburgers made on this grill, thanks to my mom learning lots of cooking techniques and teaching everyone!
It really gets tiresome, staying in this house day after day, with nothing to do now that I can't go to school anymore. I know my dad has something against him, but I like getting calls from Amin and chatting with him. And
but I'm not going to be rude to him and not let him stop by just because my dad's being annoying!
Yeah, here I am playing a game I used to play when I was little: pirates. (Don't know how this picture got in here...)
Mom and Dad are always giving us suggestions on what we should do to help out society when we grow up. I tell Geoff he should work on getting us some good entertainment around here. I'm
sick of chess, swimming and smustle-dancing. That's
See, look at my expert dive.
Geoff comes home really proud of his A+. Yeah, I remember how thrilled I was with my first A+, but you know what, Geoff? Won't do you any good, because in a couple of years you won't be able to go to school anymore, and that will be the same as getting Fs every day. (I didn't tell him that, though.)
I still have some friends from school days that stop by sometimes, and I can't help telling one of them about how
(that's probably robbed their homes too) is calling me every day and stopping by to see me!
My mom's going to have another baby. I'll admit this is kind of exciting! (At least something
job. Jeez, get off my case already. I'm really getting tired of these conversations.
"C'mon, dad. I'm not going to wind up in jail, ok? Now can I finish my hamburger in peace?"
You know, my mom is a really hard worker. Even while pregnant, she continues to work on the book she's writing, and finally finishes it.
I don't talk much with my parents, but I can't help telling my mom how excited I am that she's going to have a baby. (I can't quite bring myself to compliment her on the hamburgers or publishing her book though. Don't know why, but, you know...)
Pretty soon, one night, Mom had her baby. While she was pregnant, she'd taught me how to be a good coach, and now I helped her through the whole process.
.
Oh, look! How cute!! It's a little sister! Mom and Dad decide to call her Trina. She is
Then a really weird thing happened. Mom put little Trina in her crib and then totally wacked out. She just sat on the floor and made weird noises and paid no attention to any of us trying to help her. Dad and I had no idea what to do. Seemed like she
lost it.
When I think back on it, I wonder what caused it. Did she not want to have a baby? Dad told me later that she'd
done that when Geoff and I were born. And I remember she'd always been a really good mom to Geoff and me, always competent and confident and in control and really nice to us.
After a couple of hours, she pulled herself together and seemed to snap out of it.
Or maybe. She danced the smustle for a few hours, although it looked more like a weird chicken dance to me.
Dad took over, and took good care of sweet little Trina. (I can't get over how
After a while Mom seemed fairly normal and took care of Trina too. Pretty soon we forgot all about Mom's breakdown and life was really busy taking care of the new baby.
One day while I was swimming I saw a boy my own age passing by and ran up to meet him. Maybe I need to meet some guys nearer my age...
But of course I couldn't resist telling him all about my old man and his
annoying treatment of me all the time. Why is that, anyway? Cause I'm the oldest?
My dad is
always getting on my case about learning as much as I can and getting a good job that "contributes to society."
Always the "contribute to society." What's society ever done for
me, huh? Only brought this apocalypse, so I had to grow up with
nothing that Mom and Dad had when they were little, like TVs and Pane-ting and Bow-ling (or whatever. Dad once said he first met Mom when they were Bow-ling, but couldn't explain to me what that was.)
Now all we have is chess. Always chess. Jeez it's boring.
Mom is much more accepting of the friends I invite in, and always makes a tasty meal for us.
Not like
Dad, who's always talking with Mom about me and Amin. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
At least Mom and Dad have gone back to their snuggling. I gotta admit, it's kind of cute how they're always hugging each other.
Aw, see? Aren't they cute? Dad just better watch out that Mom doesn't have another baby. I wouldn't risk it, seeing what happened last time...
Next morning Mom went off to work as usual, in her cool car. I'll never forget how she looked leaving for work that morning,
Because that night, her carpool just drove by the house, without stopping. She wasn't in the car.
That very night, Geoff had a birthday. He was supposed to have a surprise party, with a cake even, now that we knew how to make cakes. But Mom wasn't here, so we didn't have a party.
But he grew up anyway, into a dorky-looking teenager.
Yeah, hi doofus.
For the next few days, we didn't know what to think about Mom's disappearance, but one night Dad said he felt Mom's ghost sleeping in the bed next to him.
Her ghost? But that would mean she's dead. I can't believe that she's dead! She's just taking a break, staying with some friends maybe? Staying at work, being a chef? Maybe she left because she didn't want to take care of her kids any more? But I can't believe she's dead!
But somehow Dad knew in his heart that she was dead.
She was his soulmate, they'd been together for years, ever since the beginning of this dreadful apocalypse. And now some strange occurrence had torn her from him, from her family.
After a while I felt it too. She was gone.
***
Geoff woke up and learned that Mom was dead, and wept.
I don't know how our family will be able to go on, with Mom gone.
But we had to go on, at least for little Trina's sake. From this point, Dad poured all his love into sweet little Trina.
And little Trina looks just like Mom.
I don't think the thought of Mom ever left Dad's mind for the rest of his days.
He couldn't sleep in their bed any longer, so he took to sleeping in that bed that had always been in the corner of the kitchen for whatever reason.
Their old bed was unused.
I couldn't stand hanging around this place anymore, it was really getting on my nerves.
I took to leaving home and just wandering around. I didn't care if there were zombies and other dangers.
I'd come back home late at night. (And find the trash can had been picked up, so I'd kick it over again.)
Surprisingly enough, Geoff was really great with the baby.
And good thing too, because Dad had taken to meditating
all the time, and would forget to take care of Trina.
And Geoff didn't seem to mind feeding her and cuddling her and changing her diaper.
One night it was Trina's birthday, but Dad didn't seem to know how to help her with that. He'd try, and then just give up and lay her on the floor. These days he seems kind of hopeless.
But Geoff came along and gave her a dextrous twirl, and she grew up into an even
cuter toddler!
Geoff was her favorite, and she just loved to have him snuggle her and read to her and teach her everything!
He helped her learn to use the potty, and taught her how to speak.
We took turns teaching Trina how to walk.
And I'd give her a daily bath. Got to hand it to Dad, it's nice having a bathtub.
Good thing Geoff and I were on top of things, because Dad just kept meditating, for longer and longer hours each day.
Pretty soon nothing would disturb him while he was meditating, even if we were smustling in the same room.
Little Trina spent hours playing with my old favorite toy. I can vaguely remember spending hours with that toy too, right in the same spot...
One day Trina grew up from a toddler into a cute little girl. Dad has gotten so out of it, he didn't even seem to notice. Geoff and I are getting a little worried about him.
When he's not meditating, he wanders vaguely around the house, wearing his pjs all day or his underwear (
kinda gross!) or his swimsuit when he's not swimming or in the hot tub. About the only way he takes care of Trina is tucking her in at night.
Trina has inspire Geoff and me to take more interest in chess again. It's kind of fun to see someone playing who's never played before, and we enjoy teaching her all about it. Geoff especially, as he's always been interested in intellectual types of stuff like that.
I remember a while back when we were hanging out in the hot tub he told me he wished he could go to college like Dad did, a place where you just learn, learn, learn all the time. I didn't argue with him, but I gotta say I don't understand wanting to do something like that all the time.
Boooring!
Trina and Geoff are still really close, and it's nice to see that Trina feels like she can share everything with Geoff. I overheard her talking with him about Mom once. Strange as it sounds, she can remember Mom, and wonders, like we did, whether or not she's really dead.
She got really animated during this conversation, and told Geoff that she had a dream once that Mom was still alive, wandering around crying, like she was trapped somewhere.
She said that in the dream she knew Mom wasn't dead because she looked like a live person, not like a ghostly dead person.
She doesn't seem to realize how upsetting this is for us, who remember Mom more than she does. But she just started excitedly asking Geoff all about ghosts and what they're like and what they do.
Geoff calmly told her that there's no such thing as ghosts. People just think that there's ghosts because they remember or dream about the person who died, sometimes very vividly, and so they can't believe that the person has really died. But they did really die, and they can't and won't come back.
I remember Trina's first day of school, and I felt as proud as if I were her mom! Too bad I only ever learned one hairdo, so she has the same style as mine.
When she gets home from school, she does stuff with Dad like dancing and chatting, and she doesn't notice all the problems he has that Geoff and I notice. (Dad and the rest of us never did solve the question of why wolves hang around in our house, wandering right in sometimes. They never do that in other people's houses that I've visited!)
The night I realized that Dad has really lost it was when I overheard him helping Trina with her homework, and he gave answers that were totally wrong and really out there. I didn't want to interrupt them and confront Dad about how he's losing it. It's really too sad and disturbing...
Trina doesn't see all this, and didn't notice the wrong answers. That's another reason I don't really want to confront these problems with Dad, because I don't want Trina to feel like she doesn't have a normal dad. It's hard enough for her to grow up without a mom without other difficulties.
I invited my "boyfriend" Pao over for supper one day, but these days I'm feeling so much older than I was. I feel like I finally need to make a change in my life, get a job, maybe even assume the position of "head of the household" now that Dad's getting... well, senile I guess you'd call it. So I don't feel like spending time on frivolous kinds of activities any more.
Even though I didn't tell him "Good-bye" straight out, I knew I wouldn't be hanging around with Pao much any more.
I kissed him good-bye instead. I'd never kissed a boy before, but it came pretty easily!
I know he's attracted to me, but Pao really needs to look for a girl closer his own age.
Speaking of which, Geoff still chats up the attractive older women over chess games!
Later that afternoon I invited Amin over, and told him all about Mom's disappearance and how Dad has declined lately. He was very sympathetic.
I really feel close to him. He's a really nice guy.
I think maybe Dad senses that I really like Amin, and he tried to chat with Amin that afternoon. Of course all he could think of to talk about is his worn-out subject of the causes of the apocalypse. I think everyone is tired of that topic by now...
Just before supper I remembered it was my birthday today!
Amin congratulated me, and so did Geoff's "lady friend".
I suddenly realized that not only do I think Amin is nice and friendly, he's also
really sexy!!
I'd really like him to move in with us, and spend the rest of my life with him! (Um, excuse me lady? A little privacy please?)
Umm, this is fun!
We move into the kitchen, and keep on smooching!!
I decide then and there to ask Amin to marry me!
I'd never thought I'd get married, but I really like Amin. He's always been really sweet to me and my family (except when he robbed us way back when.)
That night I decided that the old double bed needs to be put to use.
Mmm, being married is lots of fun!
Amin fits right into our family. He's making good friends with Geoff and Trina.
He doesn't even mind if two of us are chatting together in the same room where he's sleeping. He sleeps like a log.
I asked Amin to find a job in another career, because I'm afraid it would really disturb Dad if Amin continued being a thief. Amin said it'd be easy enough to get a job in law enforcement, as these days cops and thieves are pretty much the same. But at least to my Dad, cop is definitely more acceptable.
Every evening he works on his fitness, as being physically fit is necessary in his career.
I decided I need to get a job too. Much as I always hated Dad haranguing us about "contributing to society" when we were little, I do feel like I should take a little responsibility for my own family at least.
I found a job in the military career, and really love the work outfit they gave me!
Dad continues his constant meditating, and all I can do is just shake my head. He rarely talks with any of us anymore, and doesn't even interact with his little daughter Trina. Really sad.
He's taken to meditating outside even, on the frozen ground. But the cold doesn't seem to bother him, so I just let him be.
It's kind of embarrassing though, when he meditates out in by the street, when anyone passing by can see him and wonder what the heck this old, senile man is doing sitting out in the snow.
Speaking of people walking by, much as I love Amin, and how much he's contributing to our family, I have to admit that he's not beloved in our neighborhood.
He has a lot of enemies in town, and many of them walk by our house and kick over our garbage can. It's starting to get on my nerves, plus we can't afford to risk getting diseases from the garbage.
I told Amin he has to start making amends with the people in town that he's wronged. He said he'd get right on it, and one night he befriended one of them, a charming young lady who lost her parents and is raising her younger sister on her own.
Amin made friends with the younger sister too. Sometimes I forget how much more difficult life is for other families than it is for us.
I've taken to inviting these girls over frequently to help them out a little.
One day Dad's old college friend Randy stopped by for a visit. I'd never liked him much, he seemed really strange to me.
Dad remarked on how Randy still looked as young and healthy as the day he graduated college, and Randy complimented Dad on aging well.
Dad then thanked him for something (I didn't quite catch for what) and invited Randy in for hamburgers.
Dad finally told Randy about how Mom had disappeared and we believe she's dead. Dad spoke wistfully about how she was the love of his life...
Later, over a chess game, Randy promised Dad that he'd look into what happened to Mom. He'd ask around among his friends to see if they knew anything. They talked over theories about her death long into the night.
I've changed my mind about Randy. His visit really perked Dad up, and he seems less lost and senile these days.
Dad mentioned that he's thinking over the mystery of Mom's disappearance, and trying to figure out what may have happened.
Privately, I don't see the point in pursuing that. I think it's better to move on with our lives. But it's good to see Dad more alert, with something occupying his thoughts and time.
He's started having more conversations with all of us, and even though he's gone back to exhorting us about what jobs to get and now adding advice on how to raise our kids, I'm just glad that he seems happier now and not at all senile.
We have a happy, pleasant home these days!
Trina's birthday rolled around, and this time Dad was alert enough to notice and participate.
Yay, Trina! Such a lovely young lady! And nice outfit!
Here's what I've noticed about Trina, watching her grow up: she's very confident and self-assured, just like I remember Mom being. And she's also very sweet and friendly (most likely won't be the rebellious teenager that I was!) I really think that of all of us, she'll probably succeed the best in life! At least I hope so, because she really deserves it, and has been the best little sister anyone could have.
Dad still goes outside and meditates for hours, but now he balances it with time spent with the family, so I don't worry.
Even when he's out there meditating at night during a snowstorm! Oh well, nothing I can do about it. He's my dad, after all. Not like he's going to listen to me!
Geoff keeps inviting the same lady over for supper, and I wonder if he has the same idea I had: to make friends with a really nice, attractive older person, and then propose as soon as he's old enough! Gotta admit I'm smart about certain things, huh Geoff?
One night, when Dad was meditating (inside for once), his meditation was interrupted.
We were downstairs, and didn't know what happened. It was the evening of Geoff's birthday, and we were getting ready. We didn't notice Dad's absence until it was time to celebrate.
When we went upstairs to tell him it was time to party, we only found this urn in a corner. I'm filled with regrets, that I never told him that Mom was right, that he was a great man who changed things around for everyone. That he was right, we should continue what he started and try to improve things even further. I didn't even tell him that I appreciated him. I can only take comfort that he seemed happier in his final days, knowing that someone was trying to figure out what happened to his beloved wife. And I know no one will forget the great contributions of Geoffrey Chatain.
[Ed: never try to anticipate what time an elder will die! I thought they died after dark, and so Geoffrey would have time to see his son age into adulthood, and then go meditate outdoors in the corner of the lot. But no. The grim reaper came before six! And now I have an urn in the kids bedroom... Argghh!]
(Uggh.) Me Klara. Boy Bud. He nice boy. Me like Bud. (Errr)
Evil lady (Arrr) Blossom. She marry professor.
She kill professor. (Urrg) Then make zombie. Me zombie too. Professor leave.
Evil Blossom (arrg) has baby. Twig nice baby. Blossom bad mother. (Uhh)
She bad Bud mother. He sad. (Err)
One day me hear. (Urrg) He talk someone. Tell deaths.
He tell (arrg) zombies.
He talk families. He leave. (Uhh) Me never see.
Me hold Twig. She sweet. (Err) Me get idea.
Me leave.
Me take Twig. (Errr) Me look professor.
Twig need (arrg) nice professor.
Zombies live (ugg) mountains.
Caves in mountains. (errr)
Me find professor. Me like (uhh) professor.
Me give professor Twig. (Err) Professor happy.
Professor (arrg) good father.
Live nice (uhh) cave.
Professor ask me stay. (Uggh) Me happy.
Professor like me.
Me (uhh) like professor.
Me want brains. Brains!!
Me learn (arrg) cook.
Me cook (uhh) other thing. Not brains. Sticky things.
Good father clean baby. (Err) Zombies stinky: baby stinky.
Many baths. (Uggh)
Twig birthday. (uhh)
Twig happy (arrg) girl.
Twig pretty girl. (Err)
Me Twig mommy. (Uhh) Me love Twig.
Me play Twig. (Err)
Twig love (uhh) me.
Me teach Twig. Twig (ugg) walk.
Twig love Daddy. (arrg)
Daddy teach Twig. Twig (err) talk. Hard zombies teach. Zombies no talk: groan. (ugg) Zombies no walk: lurch. Twig smart, she learn.
Twig birthday. Twig happy. (arrgh)
Pretty Twig. Look like (uhh) Daddy. (But not zombie.)
Twig play with Daddy. Twig (uhh) smart. Good chess.
Zombies tricky. Zombies (arrgh) cheat.
Sweet Twig happy. (Err) Family happy.
