Welcome to the fun

Welcome to the fun
Christmas Joy

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Day 70 - And there he was

So there he was, 8 years later buying a pack of fags in my local newsagents, looking just as ruggedly perfect as he did all those years ago when he had me pinned up against a sweaty club wall.
8 years ago he was an up and coming DJ and producer (just like all the boys were 8 years ago), and after three weeks of bunk ups and parties I grew tired of his lifestyle and moved on to the next party and bunk up...so was my life for a while before Summer.
Separated from part-time dad (who was then just called Part-time boyfriend) I was a size 12, tanned, blonde with money in my pocket living every day like it was the weekend, only seeing the sunset bleary eyed from a London club car park, gurning my face off.
Over the 8yrs , I'd watched (only semi-stalkingley) him make it big (ish) to now, with his own radio show and music videos that get teenage girls up and down the land wet.
And there he is .....waiting for his change and fags.
And shit here I am .....5 stone heavier, dressed like a goth, greasey hair staring at him open mouthed clutching 3 bags of skips.
Ohhhh where do I hide where do I go .... Do I say hi, do I act cool?, no.....hide .....hide. This is not the image I want him to have of me. The awkward conversation, the look of regret, I'd say something stupid, he'd give me a sympathetic tap on the arm.
I turn in circles looking for a hiding place, my fat arse shuddering a stack of wine gums. I sneak behind him and take cover behind multi pack boxes of Mc Coys, the shopkeepers nervously eyeing me up.
"Mum!"
Ohhh fuck...Summer....forgot she was here.....oh I hope he doesn't think it's his! Ohhhhhhh I need to hide her too now.

"ssssshhhhh" I call her over to my hiding point.
He spots her bounding towards me...his eyes following the fluffy head monster and he smiles at her, Summer recognising him from his instagram feeds i show her constantly, she smiles back as she hurtles towards me.
"Mum isn't that man ......."
Bang
Straight into the fucking crisp boxes that tipple me over.
And there I am ,8 yrs later, 5 stone heavier, dressed like a greasy goth, spread eagle on the floor surrounded by 100 packets of Mc Coys as my daughter laughs so hard she starts farting and wetting herself at the same time as the shopkeeper shouts at me in Bengali .
And there he is offering me a hand , staring into my eyes, smelling the same as he did 8 yrs ago.... The faint look of recognition on his face...he's processing me......looking into my soul..... I'm smiling up at him "I know you don't I ?" he says ?........ Yes! Yes you do and yes ....yes I will ..... Yes, yes she could be yours if you squint and don't ask for a DNA test...yes,yes,yes............ "your one of cleaners at the studio aren't you ? " ......... And there he goes, into his tinted windowed prestige Mercedes having been given a bad Hispanic accent by me pretending to be Rosa.

Saturday 8 December 2012

Day 69 - it's a hard knock life

It's rare that I get the opportunity to get Summer from school, part of this is due to my working hours the other part is due to the stares of the other mums in the playground .....the whispers "ohhhh that's Summers mum" and that the last time I saw the head we both threatened to sue each other over where Summer learned the word 'lesbian' both of us denied responsibility so a small claims court seemed the ideal way to resolve things at the time.
Every time I'm at the school there seems to be some undesirable feedback I get from my child's day. Last Monday  I picked her up from after school club, not too concerned as these people only have her for 2 hrs a day and they seem to really like her.
As I waited for Summer to finish her game and collect her bag, one of the team came over to say how well Summer had behaved. I tried to hide my shock and said that I too felt she had  matured somewhat over the year.
"she.s a real character though isn't she" ohhhhh here it comes - a real character means, a real handful, a real nightmare .......a real little shit!
"she tells some fabulous stories....she had us all engrossed ".......shit, "Summer hurry up, get your coat" I don't want to stick around for this...
"such an imagination, she was telling the whole room that she sleeps in the cupboard each night, the kids where listening open mouthed"
"Oh you know kids, active minds! .....Summer put that boy down,get your coat,we are off""I said
"it's just the detail you know....the kids were asking her questions , like how to you stay warm, and quick as a flash she answered, she said , I cuddle up to my dog and he keeps me warm.....well when she said that my heart just broke" she says giving me this concerned look . Shit i think this woman actually believes her.
" kids hey!" come on summer move it!
"it's just that they can also be sooooo honest , and you know there are some families where kids don't have a bed of there own , and if only they asked a friend or someone to help they may get a bed donated you know...." oh shit, please stop woman please. I'm so uncomfortable right now , and not just because Summer is giving me a wedgie.
" I don't want to intrude but you can try free cycle , people give away free furniture all the time"
" she has a bed" I cut her off and start to drag Summer to the car
"it's free cycle.com, my husband has a van" she yells after me

Securely in the car I take a deep breath.
"why Summer? Why! Why did you tell everyone u sleep in the cupboard with the dog"
She looks genuinely embarrassed - both of us red faced hanging our heads in shame in the car.

" we need to move house mummy , I told everyone else we have a swimming pool and water slide too. Now everyone wants to come over"

There is no continuity to her lies, bedless but with a bespoke swimming pool!

So tonight I'll make he dreams come true and make her sleep in the cupboard with the smelly dog and maybe she'll wake up to a pool, a pool of the old incontinent dogs piss.


Thursday 4 October 2012

New Friends

I'm gonna keep to the basics on this one - there's been a bit of writers block the last 6 months - but that doesn't mean that Summer has matured into a little angel.

Far from it.

So this story happened a few weeks back. 

Summer holidays, bored at home, I cant take any more and I have only done a two week stint this year. During my 2 weeks on duty - I have seriously considered packing my bags in the middle of the night and legging it. 
A lack of routine and school work created a bored fuzzy monster who used me as her play thing. I felt like the pretty boy in Pentonville.

so one day - we are watching TV and Summer gets up and goes to the kitchen, takes a sandwich bag and disappears. Thats fine by me - she couldn't fit her head into the sandwich bag and suffocate so no need to monitor this situation - also i never intend to make her a packed lunch ever again after she complained to the head about my inedible soggy sandwiches. So go for your life with the sandwich bags. 

After a while I notice whispering from the landing. 

''your warm aren't you?'' Summers says in a creepy little voice

''Summer!!!! what you doing come here now''' I say
She doesn't come

''your darker than you were before'' she whispers '' i like it'' she creeps on

''Summer your being weird - get down here now!!'' 
''You wont let me bring my friend, so I'd rather stay up here with them'' 

ohhhh ya bastard - you've got so bored you've brought back the imaginary friend. ''no mummy its not imaginary its real - I can see him'' 
she slowly comes down the stairs all the while whispering to her ''friend'' she is reassuring him. ''its ok - you dont have to worry, we can watch Disney, you'll like Disney'' 
she pops her head round the corner and holds something behind her back.
''let me see it Summer!''...she shakes her head
'show me what you have behind your back'' ...she refuses again
knowing that this could go on all night - i just shrug and tell her to get on with it. 

Knowing that her battle is won - she skips to the sofa with her new little friend in hand and snuggles down with him to watch TV.

I don't know if the Summer holidays had caused some part of me to die - or that maybe I had now seen it all for Summer - but as she rested the sandwich bag filled with her own urine on her knee, I knew I/ we needed help. 

''really Summer?? this is you 'friend''
''I LOVE him'' she replies

I'm not prepared to fight and struggle over a bag of piss - I have had enough of Summers piss soaking into my skin - so I leave her too it. Thinking that if this is for attention she will soon get bored. 

Of course it doesn't, Bag 'O' Pee joins for the remainder of the evening, Is introduced to the pets, the neighbours, part time dad. It's told all her secrets and admired for her cloudiness.

I let it go on - in silent protest until she falls asleep clutching her bag of pee and gently release it from her clasp.

retire to bed and google ''Child Therapist''

Tuesday 21 February 2012

Day 67 (after 3mths) Pancake day

lets make some memories, lets do Pancake day. Lets cook together and eat our spoils and remember this day, the smell of the batter, the lemon hitting or throats, flour in our hair and sugar on our fingers.

or as it is with Summer lets have tears, swearing and NHS direct on speed dial.

After work I brought all the materials needed for a successful pancake making session. A choice of no less than 5 fillings and an essential non- stick pan.
Summer cracked eggs into the bowl with vigor as I whisked the flour and milk in - this is it, we are doing it, making memories. Her little feet on tip toes peering over the bowl as she tastes the batter, I reach above her into the cupboard to get the sugar and her eager eyes follow me - eyes follow me so that she may learn. As the cupboard door opens- out flies a pot of Jerk seasoning and my world goes into slow motion. The peppery powder flies through the air like an ash cloud, Summer mouth open surveys the cloud that is about to consume her, my natural instinct is to protect the Pancake mix.
''FUUUUUUUCCCCKKKKKKKK''
oh I said that without moving my lips,
''Fuck, Fuck oh Fuck i'm blind''
She has turned bright red and is squeeling grabbing her eyes in agony. Im not in pain so I didnt say that....
'Water, I need Water FUCK, Bloody water ''
I run the tap and start chucking water in Summers face.
''not the hot tap you IDIOT......JESUS CHRIST, im dying''
Can I tell her off for swearing at a time like this? - she is shaking in shock after all.
Should I take her to the hospital - certainly not while she is screaming Fuck at the top of her voice. hold this wet towel to your face while I close the windows case the neighbors hear this.
Just standing next to her my nostrils are burning - I run through the ingredients on the pack to see if its dangerous, but I cant make it out because its all in Jamaican.
''Ingredients: Nuff hot pepper n scotch bonnet
Warning: nah smoke dis shit man it a gah burn you to rassssss''
Again another danger of living with part time dad - if I had hooked up with a nice middle class white man the worst this would have got was a dash of horseradish in the eye.
After 20 mins or so she opens her eyes and I commend her for her bravery.
I cant help thinking that my little bundle of joy will be OK in the next bout of riots should the pepper spray come out.

no one is eating pancakes tonight