The memories take me to a summer day. Stephanie would be at the door yelling to notify Kyla of my arrival. Sharon at the kitchen table, smoking a cigarette with a large glass of tea. Evidence of breakfast activities about the kitchen. While walking upstairs, passing Juan as he complains to Sharon, of the "trauma" Peetie inflicted. As I top the stairs, Peetie is poking his head in the bathroom doing a mantra of Jack Nicholson's "The Shining" as Kyla blow dries her hair. I would go set in Kyla’s room and hear the activities of a large family and wondered (even then) how Sharon stayed sane. Kyla would put on her makeup while facing the east window of her room. Only moments would pass before someone would come flying though the door. Maybe Steph, just walking up to the bed and lean against it with her little hands to her chin. Usually it was a directed mission to inform Kyla of a responsibility to clean the kitchen before we left. Or maybe Peetie, to impale us with his unwanted gas, burp, pants pulled high in his crouch or joke. Yelling and laugher would soon fill the room. After cleaning the kitchen, we would be off to the pool. After hours of baking, we would return to Bouziden to find...Steve Cooksey in the driveway, working on his car. Brent has awoken only 2 hours earlier...Juan is down the street...Sharon is in the kitchen frying tortillas ...Steph is in the back yard...and Peetie, well... he's still doing standup comedy throughout the house. We would prep table, eat, laugh and make extra tea. Then climb stairs and sit in the floor of Kyla's room until wee hours of the morning, smoking cigarettes and playing Uno. Just a day in the life of the Martinez family and the house on Bouziden. What a day! What fantastic memories! What love I have for all of you.
Merry Christmas,
Crystal
No comments:
Post a Comment