• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • San Diego Momma
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
San Diego Momma

San Diego Momma

Sharing some humor, a bit of writing and way too much information

Home / Etcetera / The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead

Etcetera, Indie Ink

It’s IndieInk Writing Challenge day! This one comes from Miss Ash, who prompted a quote from the book Little Bee:

“I could not stop talking because now I had started my story, it wanted to be finished. We cannot choose where to start and stop. Our stories are the tellers of us.”

 

And so I begin:

 

I must have been about five when my dad took him in. Yes, five. It was 1973. His wife left him a few weeks prior, and so had his liver. Even at my age, I knew he was dying. But that’s what my dad did: took in the dying. I grew accustomed to cots placed in the kitchen, leaden with the weight of those fighting their last days. It wasn’t the smell that was the worst, it was the knowing. I wouldn’t see Barbara again or Em or Jane. Or I would, and that was the worst.

 

When my dad brought my uncle home to die on the yellow scratchy couch in our basement, I turned my head. But I never could help looking back. And there it was: gray skin, muddy eyes, grimaced lips. He waved. I waved back. I didn’t like to go in the basement after that.

 

Of course I had to. To bring glasses of water, bites of toast, boxes of tissue. His hands often reached for mine, they were cold, but I tolerated his grasp. I remember looking at my young plump hands resting in his crepe paper palm, and I shiver. Some memories you wish you could squeeze out like toothpaste from the tube and wash down the drain. “He doesn’t have long,” my dad told me.

 

I hoped he was right.

 

I see him next in the VA hospital. He tries to take my hands one last time. I say no, or at least I meant to. An adult now, I see how these things can happen.

 

After he died, I visited my cousin in the home she once shared with my aunt and the man with the crepe paper hands. She was cleaning out his things. Rattling bottles of vodka, crumbling notebooks, an old signet ring. A small spider scurried out of a box and scrambled over her hand. Noticing my revulsion, she told me, “I used to be afraid of them too. But now I just let let them crawl over me and I’m not so scared.”

 

I was only five. But I knew what she meant.

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

March 10, 2011 · 18 Comments

Sure I’d love to see you again

Previous Post: « PROMPTuesday #144: Return to the Classics
Next Post: Wyoming. A Heartbreak Story. »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Miss Ash says

    March 10, 2011 at 10:53 am

    You did a great job with this one!! *shudder*

    Reply
  2. Karla says

    March 10, 2011 at 11:09 am

    How hard it is for a child to live among the “walking dead.” As kids, our perspective on the situation is so removed and abstract and as we near that end ourselves, the childhood blinders come off and we learn how to not be scared of “the spiders” crawling all over us. This was a lovely piece!

    Reply
  3. You can call me, 'Sir' says

    March 10, 2011 at 11:30 am

    Wonderfully done.

    Reply
  4. Indigo says

    March 10, 2011 at 12:04 pm

    Hauntingly visceral. (Hugs)Indigo

    Reply
  5. Mimi says

    March 10, 2011 at 3:08 pm

    I just saw you on Jackson, MS 4pm news! You looked fabulous!

    Reply
  6. flutter says

    March 10, 2011 at 8:12 pm

    Oh this made me bawl.

    Reply
  7. Mandy says

    March 10, 2011 at 8:15 pm

    Wow. Well done.

    Reply
  8. A Lil' Irish Lass says

    March 10, 2011 at 9:41 pm

    “Some memories you wish you could squeeze out like toothpaste from the tube and wash down the drain.”

    Fantastic.

    Reply
  9. Wendryn says

    March 10, 2011 at 9:50 pm

    “I used to be afraid of them too.”

    You did a beautiful job with this. Very affecting.

    Reply
  10. we_be_toys says

    March 10, 2011 at 11:03 pm

    Woof! That was a gut wrencher – nicely done!

    Reply
  11. green girl in wisconsin says

    March 11, 2011 at 7:48 am

    damn, woman. brilliant.

    Reply
  12. Nathan Pralle says

    March 11, 2011 at 7:51 am

    Full of imagery! Wow. That spider anecdote was so well done. Very, very impressive. I can’t imagine being exposed to such things as a child.

    Reply
  13. tinsenpup says

    March 12, 2011 at 2:52 am

    ‘…now I just let them crawl over me.’ Extraordinary. Beautifully written, Deb.

    Reply
  14. Marian says

    March 12, 2011 at 7:50 am

    ooohhhhh. crawling! very dark and sad.
    (i must confess, i spent last night in a Walking Dead marathon and it colored my reading of your piece! *shudder*)

    Reply
  15. Jason Hughes says

    March 12, 2011 at 9:12 am

    Such powerful hindsight… Wonderfully written…

    Reply
  16. flutter says

    March 13, 2011 at 3:53 pm

    You are wonderful.

    Reply
  17. Caroline says

    March 15, 2011 at 2:40 pm

    It really shows how talented you are as a writer…I enjoy reading it,well done!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Week In Review: March 7-11 Indie Ink Challenges says:
    March 11, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    […] Miss Ash challenged San Diego Momma: The Walking Dead […]

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

I love words. Every one, every time. (Except “moist.” That word can go.) …read more

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Sure. I’d love to see you again.

Categories

Archives

Blogroll

  • Blog This Mom
  • Da Goddess
  • Dirt and Noise
  • Discover San Diego
  • Foolery
  • Juggling Life
  • Mama Mary Show
  • Mel, A Dramatic Mommy
  • Mom Zombie
  • Mommy’s Martini
  • Motherhood is Not for Wimps
San Diego Momma

Footer

Archives

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

sandiegomomma

sandiegomomma
Back in Lake Geneva after 36 years… Circumstance Back in Lake Geneva after 36 years…
Circumstances have changed since post-Prom-picnic-circa-1986-vibes…
#WhereIsBryanAdamsNow
Dorm drop! 🏫👩‍🏫🥲💕 Dorm drop!
🏫👩‍🏫🥲💕
💫Travel poster for Saturday wine tasting.💫 💫Travel poster for Saturday wine tasting.💫
Celebrating the new 16-year-old with a quick Santa Celebrating the new 16-year-old with a quick Santa Monica trip.
And now she knows she doesn’t want to live in LA….
#LifeLessons
It’s happening….. It’s happening…..
Barely tolerating me….. Barely tolerating me…..
Beach day with my “little” one while big sis e Beach day with my “little” one while big sis explores Cal Poly…
Life transitions. Beautiful but I haz the olds.
#NotAboutMe #Whhhhyyyyy
A rare Bubbie sighting. Spotted in the wild. #HeDo A rare Bubbie sighting. Spotted in the wild. #HeDoesntLikePictures
Sunset squad. Brought a picnic and drinks to Del M Sunset squad.
Brought a picnic and drinks to Del Mar and watched the waves and horizon. Not too crowded or cold - another good hang with the neighborhood gang! ❤️❤️
Imprinting 2021 holidays on my brain (and in my In Imprinting 2021 holidays on my brain (and in my Instagram) (and in my antibodies). It’s a COVID New Year’s Eve…
Husband and I down for the count(down).
BUT. We’re doing decent and it’s cozy up in here…
Winery times! Winery times!
Guys on couch watching football; girls in kitchen Guys on couch watching football; girls in kitchen talking about everything.
Smells like a Sunday neighbor night. ;)
Line dancing lessons… My two left feet did nothi Line dancing lessons…
My two left feet did nothing right - but they did it with gusto.
Looking for a new book to read! #BookClub Despite Looking for a new book to read! #BookClub Despite the seeming divine intervention from above, we weren’t struck with the “perfect” next book to put on our list…..
Post-white-water-rafting super exhaustion. (Oh my Post-white-water-rafting super exhaustion.
(Oh my gosh you guys…! No! I’m not a sports model! But I totally understand how you might think so.) 😜😜😜
I wanted my hair to do that. #NordicSisters I wanted my hair to do that.
#NordicSisters
Dad’s hats on the people who loved/knew/laughed/ Dad’s hats on the people who loved/knew/laughed/sang with him.
Miss you Dad. Hope we do your hats justice. Lord knows we’ll have fun in them, just like you did. 😇
Paso Robles! Wine tasting beauty. It’s stunning Paso Robles! Wine tasting beauty. It’s stunning here. And the landscape is nice too ;).
Found my brother’s old ad copy. Good fun-writing Found my brother’s old ad copy. Good fun-writing inspiration...
Just in case I wasn’t feeling ancient enough, th Just in case I wasn’t feeling ancient enough, the rainbow jumper and white bobby socks oughta do it. No but wait! There’s a bowl cut. Annnnnnnddd giant gold-rimmed specs.
#CentennialFashion
Load More... Follow on Instagram
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Hello Chicky

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT