April's Real Blog

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Ha-ha, Liz, U're OLD!

So after that firefighter came by yesterday, I stopped in2 the kitchen, where Liz had set up 2 work on lesson planz. Liz was all, "Who was @ the door?" I told her, "One of the firemen who helped Mike an' Deanna escape from their apartment." Then I put the blanket and albums on the table, like, "He brought these." Liz was totally "This isn't all they have left, is it?" I went, "No, there's more. Mom sez there's an insurance thing where a cleaning company goes in after a fire and salvages NEthing that's still good. So.... They'll get back sum kitchen stuff and NEthing that's not totally smoke damaged." Liz was like, "Cool!" And me, I was all, "Personally, I'd rather get all new stuff!" Liz sed, "U can't replace history, April. Everything U own has history!" I scooped up the blanket and the albums, and as I left the kitchen, I told Liz, "MayB YOUR stuff has .....I'm not OLD enuf 2 have "history." I cd hear her kinda growling as I left the room.

Hey, now that I've mentioned Liz, mayB sum interesting Liz stuff will happen and I'll B able 2 tell U all abt it. That wd B cube, doncha think?

Apes

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posted by April Patterson @ 6:57 AM  

5 Comments:

  • At 1:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    April,

    Boozhoo (Hello).

    I read your writings where you talked about showing the blanket and photo albums the anonymous fireman delivered for your niinim (sister-in-law) to my sweet girl and you explained insurance things to her. Your sister was a little mad when you showed no respect for things to have history. Your sister said to me, “I'm trying to hang out with April, but she's not a little kid anymore and she resents me coming back into her life acting and sounding like an adult. Not respecting the history of things is the perfect example of this. I know you understand the importance of things of history, Paul.” I told your sister that history through the stories about the Ojibway and their sacred places were very important to me and to my people.

    Then my sweet girl said, “That’s not exactly what I meant. I mean things like, picking up an old pair of shoes and remembering the mud on those shoes came from when we went hiking last October, the last time I saw you. Or picking up a sweater and thinking, this stain on the sweater came from where I spilled Chinese food on it from that great meal Mr. Chow served us at his restaurant. Or finding one of Shiimsa’s old hair balls, and remembering the day Shiimsa spit that up was also the day Shiimsa gave gave you the 4-cm scar on your leg.” I said, “Wouldn’t you try to clean the stain out of the sweater?” Your sister said, “But then you would be cleaning away history.” I started to get confused about what your sister was saying, so I changed the subject.

    I said, “Susan Dokis (whom I call Chipper) says the school year starts on January 8. You should be packing to come to Mtigwaki (Land of Trees) to visit, so you can get back before school starts. You don’t need to miss any more school. I had this idea I would be meeting you in Spruce Narrows a few days after January 1, and that would mean you should be leaving now, because it is a 2-day bus trip.”

    Then your sister said, “But Paul, I got a scare at Christmas with my nisayenh (brother) and his family and the fire that shook me up and gave me a new perspective. I'm so glad they're staying with us. Now they're right in the house and I plan to enjoy every moment.” I said, “Are you coming to Mtigwaki (Land of Trees) or not?” Your sister said, “Right now, I'm throwing myself into my lesson plans, but I do plan to honour my promise to visit Jesse Mukwa, but I am also spending as much time with family as I can, and there's still the final session and sentencing of the trial which I may or may not attend.”

    I said, “I don’t think you can do all those things at the same time. The people in Mtigwaki (Land of Trees) have had to change their plans for you a few times, first saying you were coming at Christmas, then by New Years, and then a few days after New Years. I think it would be kinder to them, if you kept your promise to visit when you said you would visit. If you wait too long, I will be transferred to Toronto. I don’t think I will be able to get the time off to drive all the way to Spruce Narrows to meet you. Maybe you could talk to your sister about fire insurance and the history of things after you come back from visiting Mtigwaki (Land of Trees).”

    Then your sister said, “I honestly believe that if I was meant to be in Mtigwaki (Land of Trees) for a visit, then I will be. I put a lot of trust in faith.” I said, “For me, I put a lot of trust in packing a suitcase, getting bus tickets, and leaving.” Your sister said, “There is so much about me you don’t understand. I need to go - I have to call and make some more travel arrangements.” I said, “Some more?” But your sister hung up before I could ask her what she meant by that.

    I talked to Chipper about not knowing if or when your sister would come to Mtigwaki (Land of Trees). Chipper said, “Suds (her nickname for me), I think everyone in Mtigwaki (Land of Trees) knows exactly how disorganized your girlfriend is. Don’t you remember how Jesse Mukwa got his ninose (aunt) Margaret to organize the town to plan her stargazing party for her—the party where you met her for the first time and you were so impressed by her? When she said she was coming back at Christmas, they started a betting pool for when she would really come back. I put in for March break. My boss, Gary Crane said she would come at the most inconvenient time possible, so he said January 8, right when school restarts. Vivian Crane said she would come back and no one would know it until February 1.” I said, “Based on that, Chipper, put me in for January 15, when I am supposed to be transferred to the Big Smoke (Toronto). That would be the most inconvenient time for me.” I think I might win. What do you think?

    Gi'-ga-wa-ba-min' na-gutch! (See you later!)
    Constable Paul Wright

     

  • At 1:44 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    April,

    Little sis. I was very relieved you said what you said about the history of things to the Lizardbreath. Since Deanna and I have been staying in your room, and you have been so kind as to remind us on a daily basis of the items you paid for with your own money; we were worried some of the things which have received a few nicks, abrasions, cuts, shatterings or splinterings would concern you once we moved out. Now we feel much better about them. We thought my son’s little temper tantrum, with the pot and pan in your room, might upset you, but no longer. I must say, little sis, this is one of the few times when I appreciate the fact you are not very old, and have not yet developed the sentimentality mom and Liz have towards every little thing they have ever owned.

    Being in the house every day, I have to see the September 9, 2003 cheque mom wouldn’t cash because she considers it a rare historical document. Since it is framed and hanging on the wall, with the note “First Time Michael Paid Back Money”, I find it a little irritating. Liz and mom may like that sense of history with things they own, but they take it a little farther than I do. Perhaps you will change to be like they are when you get older, but by the time that happens, Deanna and I should be out of your room.

    Love,
    Michael Patterson

     

  • At 2:32 PM, Blogger howard said…

    April,

    Just to let you know, I have had a few apartments go up in flames before, and insurance companies rarely do a one-to-one replacement of old things with new things, if things were damaged beyond repair in a fire. You can get new stuff, but you may only be paid enough to buy used stuff. It depends a lot on the kind of insurance coverage your brother has.

    Different insurance companies do different things. For example, my aunt Winnie and uncle Melville have a very good insurance company who have already sent representatives to visit them in the hospital and talked about a temporary place for them to live and any medical accommodations they may need, once they get out of hospital. Your brother’s insurance company seems to be made of cheaper stuff since, as near as I can tell, no one has discussed temporary housing allowances with your brother. Considering your brother’s reputation for being cheap, this is not a surprise to me.

    It’s been 2 weeks since the fire now, and my aunt and uncle are showing definite signs of improvement. Their doctor said they may not be in hospital for too much longer, but he has not specified an exact time. My aunt and uncle have both agreed to go through with some skin graft operations which should improve their recovery time, even though my uncle’s status as a changeling (person who changes appearance every time you see him), may get in the way.

    As for the history of things, the insurance company has informed my aunt and uncle that much of their collection of historical items of war has been successfully recovered. They were so valuable; they stored most of the items in burnproof containers as was required for having them individually insured. Some of the items which could not be easily stored that way were lost, and although you have said you don’t believe in the history of items you own, my aunt and uncle assure me that the history of some their collection could not be replaced.

    Becky would probably disagree with you also about the history of things. Thanks to her musical ventures, she has had the opportunity to meet some famous people in the world of music and collect a few nice souvenirs, even though she is the same age as you. She is also sentimental about her first advertising contract with the Team Theme Sporting Goods chain and has a hockey jersey and matching cap with Becky McGuire, Team Theme Singer and Spokesmodel written on it.

    I know most of your spare time has been spent with your band or working at Lilliput’s; but there is bound to be something you treasure you would feel sad if it were lost in a fire.

    Howard Bunt

     

  • At 5:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    april, i agree w/u. i wud rather have all new stuff 2. if my whole house burned to the ground there is nothin' there 2 get all sentimental 'bout, all long az all the peeps r safe. aftah all, my history is pretty much marked on my body. i have the scars frum where i wuz hit by the truck chasin' aftah u. i have the scars on my hand frum tangi origami bitin' me. i have the scars on my butt frum where rebeccah had the clowns xxplode me. i have the scar on my forehead frum b-ing punched out by eva abuya. & of course there r the scars alexandra love gave me 2. if i wanna get sentimental 'bout sumthin' that happed 2 me, all i hafta do is look in a mirror. thoze old peeps may think their thingz r valuable, but they're not. ur absolutely rite, april.

     

  • At 6:17 PM, Blogger April Patterson said…

    howard, i wd b v. sad if i lost the harmonica gramps gave me. i almost lost it once when zeremy threw it outta the window of the bus when we were in grade school (sorry 2 bring that up, zeremy).

    mike, i may not b all sentimental abt possessions like liz is, but u better not b messing up my furniture. that's NEW, man, and i paid 4 it w/my own $$$!

    omg, paul, that's y liz has all those stained clothes? i thot she was just really, really bad @ doing her wash. btw, i've totally lost track of when she's supposta go up 2 mtig 4 her visit. totally moving target.

    apes

     

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