extended family
All about how to stay connected, strengthen ties and talk politics with your big, happy extended family.
Somehow, Someday. Content Warning.
Outside is black, Daddy's not here. Outside is a sweet magnolia smelling place, Daddy's not here. Outside stars burst, fall, disappear, just like Daddy. I wait. I know, even if alone on the mattress on the floor he will be back; when the pink preludes the autumn sun's rising, Daddy will be here. I don't move; I don't sleep; I don't know how to call Mamma. Just when the orange, pink and yellow mix into hues I vow to paint someday Daddy comes in and falls onto the mattress. He said- "hey little Bird". I smell something stinky, his hair is thinning and it's longer on one side than the other. It's a red brown and I wipe it away from his sunken, deep sleep eyes. I look at him, his belly rises in it's nakedness and falls; he is covered in reddish hair on his stomach and chest. I see his pants on the floor and sneak over to check the pockets; I found about three dollars and some change and put them in my suitcase which was packed for my trip back to Mamma before he ever came home. I take some pencils from the table, I smell his cologne by the old porcelain sink and I even put a dash behind my ears. He is snoring and red-faced. I can't see a clock anywhere and I begin to worry; how will I know when to get on that airplane back to Mamma? I quietly open the door from the third floor apartment and sneak downstairs to the big door that opens to the autumn skies. I see nothing but white frost on the big leaves, a squirrel or two scampering busily and look for anybody that can get me home. Sitting, cold and hungry, a woman comes out of the apartment house to warm her car. She is a teacher and must start out early. She asks me what in the world I am doing sitting outside without a coat; " where is your daddy?" she pushes on. I said something like somehow he fell asleep and I think today I am supposed to go home to my Mamma. The woman has a scowl and ushers me inside. She takes me into her apartment and gives me a big glass of orange juice; she said she'd be right back. A fat black cat jumped up on the table and purred around me; the colours of morning made a dizzying dance upon her kitchen's stucco wall. I felt okay, not like a cry-baby, but not like a "fix it alright" kinda girl either. Then the door opened and there was Daddy with my suitcase with the teacher woman pushing him in toward me. His hair that I'd fixed had covered half of his face and he had tears in his small, blue eyes. He said he loved me and the teacher was helping me get to my plane on time, he cried a lot and held me too tight. I left him there, short three dollars and some change, a couple of pencils for me to cherish hidden in my bag and said nothing. I fled, I flew, yet I would return. For no matter how much his drunken, lousy time with me was, it was all mine, at least for awhile. When I got back to Mamma I would never talk 'cause I guess something was wrong with me. I just said everything was fine. I guessed, somehow, someday truth would prevail. I never doubted that one day my Daddy would remember and say, "I'm sorry Little Bird." I truly believed with all my heart he would come to me and beg me to forgive him. Why do you think that is? I knew what goodness was; I was good. He wasn't doing good things so he had to know it was his obligation to give me some peace, right? Naw. He went on and kept finding more kids, more families, holding onto our pinkie swear, our father-daughter bond that could not be broken. He used me, to lie, to cheat, to steal, to be nothing more than his soldier. I saw those skies turning dark, deep blue, grey and black; I knew it was gonna be hard times coming for him, not once, not twice, not even three times, just more and more dark, with nobody to hear me. I would learn that my truth would not matter to him, or to any, but I would know the smell of his cologne behind my ears, the rise and fall of his chest when he came back as the sun rose, the sadness of his failure to give me, his beloved daughter all that I deserved. I don't know why anything matters, goodness, truth and love are always so contrite. I lay far away from the memories of youth, of Daddy's promises and forgotten love; I do feel the edge, the blisters from his sickness, yet, in an addictive way, I crave his praise. Somehow, someday, truth prevails. Or does it?
By ROCK aka Andrea Polla (Simmons)3 years ago in Families
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CHEETAH
This recent article discusses conservation efforts of the cheetah as a key wildlife species and how technology and environmental awareness can contribute to achieving this. The text addresses the challenges facing the cheetah and the innovative solutions that can be adopted to preserve this wonderful creature. The title revolves around the opportunities for joint action between humans and technology in achieving environmental balance and preserving wildlife diversity. The cheetah is a mammal from the feline family, distinguished by its graceful body and strong muscles, and it is one of the most famous predators in the world. Cheetahs are distributed throughout the world and are part of the biodiversity that enriches ecosystems. In this text, we will highlight some important aspects about this wonderful organism. The cheetah is distinguished by the beauty of its natural design, as it has short fur with a unique pattern that mixes dark spots with a light background. This pattern plays an important role in concealing the cheetah while hunting. The cheetah has a round, strong body, a large head with round ears, and sharp jaws that enable it to cut its prey easily. The cheetah is a nocturnal animal, and relies heavily on its keen sense of sight and keen hearing to search for prey. The cheetah lives in small groups or is solitary, and is characterized by its loneliness and rapid movement, which makes it an effective hunter. The cheetah feeds mainly on small animals such as deer and oryx, but it may attack its prey with great skill even if it is larger than it. Cheetahs have unique hunting skills, as they can approach completely silently and pounce on their prey with great effectiveness. The cheetah sometimes uses a method known as "silent waiting", where it assumes a strategic position and then attacks with great effectiveness, making it one of the most effective creatures in hunting operations. The cheetah is distinguished by its tremendous strength and great speed, as it can accelerate quickly to chase prey. The cheetah also benefits from its long tail, which helps it maintain its balance while running and jumping.
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By alaa ahmed3 years ago in Families
Everything stops for Tea
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By Karen Louise Hodgson3 years ago in Families
