Fish: Chapter 1

Mimi arrives in Wyoming for the summer...

The airplane flight was torture.  The car ride was even worse.  And actually arriving was practically painful. 

            I stomped out of the car and slammed the door.  Why should I care if I made any noise?  It’s not as if I wanted to be there.  Why should I worry if the neighbors heard?  It’s not as if they meant anything to me.  I grabbed my bags from the trunk and made a point to slam it, too. 

             “I’m so glad you came to visit me!”  Gram gushed, her voice dripping with nauseating excitement.  “Don’t you just love it here?”

“Oh yes, it’s just lovely.”  I was being sarcastic but Gram either didn’t get it, or was doing a good job of ignoring it.

            “Well come on inside,” She said, gesturing towards her all too familiar house. 

            The last time I’d come to visit Gram, I was about five years old and the house looked exactly the same.  It still had the same white picket fence and baby blue shutters over the windows.  I recognized the little pink flowers planted in neat rows in the boxes on the porch, and the rocking chair that creaked and swayed with the breeze. I think it would best be described as small, cozy and quaint.  I don’t do quaint. 

            I had spent the last three years of my life in New York City and it’s basically the polar opposite of Hansing, Wyoming.  It’s lively, hyper and awake all night long.  The parties are fantastic and we live on coffee.  Everyone there is so cool.  The definition for “cool” in the dictionary should just be a picture of where I live.

Here in Hansing, everyone goes to bed at around 9:00 PM.  The biggest party is the annual hoedown.  It’s chock-full of square dancing and foot stomping, hands on hips, do-si-do’ing country music.  I really hope that you pick up on my sarcasm here because I’m trying to be as obvious as possible.  And when I look around, there is not one Starbucks to be seen.  I bet they don’t even know what a latte is. 

            I’d like to make it clear that I did not come here willingly.  It wasn’t as if my mom said, “Hey, Mimi!  Do you want to pack up all of your stuff and get shipped off to Wyoming for the summer while all of your friends are partying like crazy in New York City and going on amazing beach vacations?” 

            And I replied with a big smile, “Oh I would love to, Mom!  I love missing out on all the fun!” 

            No, it was actually a big mix of yelling, door-slamming and getting forced onto my seat of the stupid plane. 

            And speaking of the plane ride, my mom made me go as an unaccompanied minor.  For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s when “kids” like me aren’t considered old enough to fly by themselves by our parents and they pay extra to have people escort us around the airport.  I guess it’s handy when your, oh I don’t know, five years old!  I had a connecting flight but the layover was about 5 hours, and I was stuck in this tiny room with a bunch of hyper little kids running around.  A dumb kid movie was playing and I had nothing to do but watch it.  Thank goodness no one I knew saw me, because I could never live that down.

            I didn’t tell my friends I was coming here.  Well, I had to tell them that I was leaving for the summer so I guess we’ll say that I stretched the truth a little bit.  Okay, so I lied.  I told them I was going on this incredible, summer-long cruise around the world.  I made it sound really great, too. 

            The ship had a giant pool and amazing stores and a ton of hot guys with tans and six-packs.  I even found some pictures online to show everyone.  I wish I actually was on a cruise like that.  Seriously, I wish I was anywhere, literally anywhere in the world, aside from Hansing, Wyoming. 

            And I guess that I sound like a whiny b***h right now, but it’s not like I’m spoiled or anything.  I live in this tiny apartment with my mom, dad, two sisters and a dog.  And if you’re wondering why I didn’t tramp into Hansing with the whole gang then you’re beginning to see my problem.

            My older sister, Cassandra was accepted at this amazing music camp for violin geniuses, my younger sister, Jessie, went with her best friend to Disney World.  My parents decided to be really cheesy and relive the good old days by going on a second honeymoon to Jamaica.  Somehow, I was completely left out of these equations.  That’s how I ended up staying at my Gram’s over break.  It makes me actually wish school would start again.   

            I begged, I pleaded, and I got down on my hands and knees, asking if I could please, please just stay in New York City by myself.  Well, their reaction was the complete opposite of what I was hoping for.  It was a, “There’s absolutely no way in hell that we’re letting you stay in the house by yourself, Mimi!” kind of reaction.

            And I’m sure they weren’t worried about me getting kidnapped or mugged.  No, they were just worried that I would set the apartment on fire and destroy their precious possessions.  Maybe I should have. 

            I followed Gram up the front walk and suddenly, my foot sank into something that made a disgusting squelching noise.  I forgot to mention that Gram has a dog.  I hate dogs.  And I especially hate walking up her front walk while wearing my brand-new, adorable, knee-high boots and then stepping in a big pile of her dog’s poop.  I let out a shrill squeal. 

            “Oh dear, I am so sorry sweetie!  Let me help you,” Gram came over, fussing as I slipped off the now horrible-smelling boot.  I whipped it to the side and got up on my feet, limping my way to the door. 

            “Don’t worry.  We can wash this right off for you, Mimi.”  Gram said, picking up the soiled shoe from where it lay, dead in the grass like a fallen warrior.

            “No, it’s okay.”  I grumbled.  “I don’t want it anymore.”

            And it was true.  I didn’t want that dumb boot for one second longer.  I didn’t even want it in my sight.  It would just remind me of this summer and how much I wish my life didn’t stink.

Reviews

[Emrick]

Interesting. lovely start. i am going to read more when i get time.

[.shalynn.009.]

This is actually quite good. There's a lot of characterization to the main character that really show what kind of a person she is going to be (sarcasm is my main medium of communication, so I like Mimi a lot). I like the ending with the whole smelly shoe, life stinking connection. It made me smile. One little note: I would suggest revising "although I had changed a huge amount since then" because it is a little awkward and doesn't match up to the rest of the writing. I like this story so far, though.