Zero Avenue
I finally got time off from the tech for Gypsy ( Act 2 is worth the wait... The Burlesque girls are funny and kind'a hot. And our Gypsy has the cutest tummy....I can see a spot crush in my future.) So I grabbed my laundry and the presents I got for my Family from my visit to LA ( Melanie isn't responding on IM so I'm kind of worried. I thought we were friends - Probably it's nothing....she's more than likely busy with her new job or a GD project )
I get out there to find out that my niece ( who's 17th....and a bit of a wild girl... like her mother... which is to be expected. ) has been in a car accident last week and has a fractured arm. Worse yet, one of her friends ( who wasn't wearing a seat belt...) got thrown from the car and was taken of life support last week. And Heather is facing an open casket funeral this next week. Usually. Heather is this Avril -like Teen. All one sentance responses and bored to tears about anthing outside her current fixation. Which is so teen that I don't really factor.
( years ago I was the favourite uncle...I remember this moment. She was 8 - 10 at the time and I was the cool rockstar uncle who got her backstage to see the Spicegirls. ) My brother has more been the father figure of late. As I've been sort of incommunicatto. Trying as I am to work my fingers to the bone for some sort of semblance of a down payment for my own tiny scratch of Vancouver realstate.
So, I stayed late and listened to her fears. Yeah, she's been partying a bit hard for a teenager. But what the hell do you do out in advanced suburbia? There's nothing for thease kids except track land to fuck around on and other parents who let their kids get hosed in the rec room. Because they're probably pained single parents themselves trying to cope their way thru all the confusion and loss.
My parents are wonderful people....don't get me wrong. But, their 1940's stiff upper lip war mentality is so at odds to my niece's needs. For her it must be often like talking to martian's about life on earth. Drug's to my parents are just a huge NO. without connecting as to how some are perfect excapes. If found and followed with friends. It hard to expain. She's scared and in PSTD about the crash. So, I tried to just listen and give her a hug. Hold her and let her know I'm so glad that it wasn't her who was kept on life support for a few short days of painfull goodbyes while I was away, blindly enjoying myself in LA.
And we talked about her lost father. Her absent mother and the Grandparents she feels, deep down dispise her for her choices. I offered to have her come see Gypsy later on this next few weeks. And keep in contact....
I left my camera out at my parents place as I left the valley. And I could have returned that night. But, it gives me an excuse to get back out there later on in the week and check in with her and see how my niece is....
I finally got time off from the tech for Gypsy ( Act 2 is worth the wait... The Burlesque girls are funny and kind'a hot. And our Gypsy has the cutest tummy....I can see a spot crush in my future.) So I grabbed my laundry and the presents I got for my Family from my visit to LA ( Melanie isn't responding on IM so I'm kind of worried. I thought we were friends - Probably it's nothing....she's more than likely busy with her new job or a GD project )
I get out there to find out that my niece ( who's 17th....and a bit of a wild girl... like her mother... which is to be expected. ) has been in a car accident last week and has a fractured arm. Worse yet, one of her friends ( who wasn't wearing a seat belt...) got thrown from the car and was taken of life support last week. And Heather is facing an open casket funeral this next week. Usually. Heather is this Avril -like Teen. All one sentance responses and bored to tears about anthing outside her current fixation. Which is so teen that I don't really factor.
( years ago I was the favourite uncle...I remember this moment. She was 8 - 10 at the time and I was the cool rockstar uncle who got her backstage to see the Spicegirls. ) My brother has more been the father figure of late. As I've been sort of incommunicatto. Trying as I am to work my fingers to the bone for some sort of semblance of a down payment for my own tiny scratch of Vancouver realstate.
So, I stayed late and listened to her fears. Yeah, she's been partying a bit hard for a teenager. But what the hell do you do out in advanced suburbia? There's nothing for thease kids except track land to fuck around on and other parents who let their kids get hosed in the rec room. Because they're probably pained single parents themselves trying to cope their way thru all the confusion and loss.
My parents are wonderful people....don't get me wrong. But, their 1940's stiff upper lip war mentality is so at odds to my niece's needs. For her it must be often like talking to martian's about life on earth. Drug's to my parents are just a huge NO. without connecting as to how some are perfect excapes. If found and followed with friends. It hard to expain. She's scared and in PSTD about the crash. So, I tried to just listen and give her a hug. Hold her and let her know I'm so glad that it wasn't her who was kept on life support for a few short days of painfull goodbyes while I was away, blindly enjoying myself in LA.
And we talked about her lost father. Her absent mother and the Grandparents she feels, deep down dispise her for her choices. I offered to have her come see Gypsy later on this next few weeks. And keep in contact....
I left my camera out at my parents place as I left the valley. And I could have returned that night. But, it gives me an excuse to get back out there later on in the week and check in with her and see how my niece is....