Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: FAMILY (01/21/16)
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TITLE: Family Tides | Previous Challenge Entry
By Vicki J. Cypcar
01/27/16 -
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How do you explain to a 99 pound mutt that his master expired in the confines of a smelly nursing home, as an army of ants marched along the baseboard, in a room without a view?
I never should have left Mackinac…
It was at 1:20 a.m. today I that I walked down the corridor of the Mackinac City Nursing Home to see my deceased dad before they carted him away. An orderly was devouring Chinese food as I passed him by. He stopped chewing, his cheeks full of chicken chow Mein. He gave me a polite nod, I then realized I was still wearing my flannel pajamas and flip flops -- I blended right in.
I am the eldest of six. Daddy bought this beach house in 1979; I remember his strong, tan arms hanging the sign, “Family Tides” above the front door. We spent every summer here, huddled around the campfire, watching sunsets…God’s paintbrush.
My husband David proposed to me on the beach; and a year later we married in the exact same spot.
I went out on the back deck, tears streaming. Buddy pushed past me and clamored down the steps, running full throttle into the surf, chasing after seagulls, same as always. Stupid dog.
But then the oaf did something I could not believe. He suddenly stopped, sat down, and repeatedly lifted his paw to shake hands…only his master is no longer there to say, “Give paw to papa.” My blood ran cold. I called to him, but of course he ignored me. I finally bribed him home with Nathan hot dogs, he ate the whole pack.
I tried to reason with him “Dad is gone, but you will see him again –someday – if you behave. Tonight David and the boys will be here, they love you.”
As I pulled dads old Radio Flyer to the local Mackinac Mart, Buddy kept trying to climb in, dad always let him ride -- so I caved. On the way back Buddy devoured two packs of Italian sausage while I was busy lugging the mutt home.
Death is a rotten reason for a family reunion, but death knocked, and we reluctantly answered. We must all face and embrace this uninvited stranger…named Grief. Twenty-one family members in all. The adults congregated around the table and consumed oodles of noodles…without meat. The kids ate outside to escape Buddy’s pungent air biscuits, no doubt a result of overdosing on hot dogs and sausage. Great, now the house even smells like death.
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A week has passed since daddy died. We all survived the funeral. Afterwards we all sat around and politely poked at Aunt Ida’s tuna noodle casserole. Buddy’s begging was rewarded each time Aunt Ida left the room to check on her rhubarb pie. Although we are all ‘somewhat’ mature adults, we still have our unspoken juvenile pact of boycotting crusty casseroles.
As executor of the will I have made the decision to keep and maintain Family Tides. After all, David and I married here and our boys love it too. I always want it to be here for our family reunions. Death whispered to us, and we all listened…family is what matters most.
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Today we all scrunched together, in our bare feet for a family photo. All of us dressed in jeans and white cotton shirts. Even Buddy wore a white bandana. Daddy would be pleased. We forced smiles because we all know life will continue to give, and death will continue to take, but today we stood strong, on the sandy front porch of the “Family Tides.”
As the camera clicked Buddy ‘pawed to Papa’ one last time, what a good dog.
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Well done.
God bless~