Defying Death

Strange Childhood

100 Years Later

Age 6

I love skipping. I love running. And I love, love, love, love, love my Calloway. My glorious, stuffed puppy, Calloway. I will love my Calloway forever and always.
"Mother! I can not believe it! I forgot to give him my letters!" I wail to my mother, who is driving the car. "Give who the letters?" My mother asks stupidly. "Calloway! He has to give them to my family!" I say angrily. "Darling, couldn't you just give them to us?" My mom says trying to soothe me. "Mother. I mean my other family. My other mother." I mumble. My mother goes quiet for the rest of the car ride home.

Age 9

I walk into our large, white kitchen to find my mother and father drinking coffee.

"When I was young

And

Had lots of fun

And been an early blade

I loved to walk

And have a talk

With a handsome comley maid."

I sing happily.

"Darling what are you singing?" My mother asks me. "Are you learning that in music class at school?" My father says. I just grin at him before continuing my favorite song,

"That was the

Way

From day to day

That I spent my time alone

And I never found

Till I fell in love

With Kitty from Baltimore."

"Are you okay, darling?" My mother asks sounding confused. Silly mother. She is so dim.

I keep on singing.

"It's her father Frank

That I might thank

Still he made me

In this sad state

He said he could

Not me endure

For to court his

Daughter Kate.

I went to Kate

For to relate

All my troubles

And my grief

And she answered me

Quite modestly

Kind sir there is no relief.

Not being content away I went

Till I joined the 98

I'm enlisted now she's broken her vows

Farewell to my love Kate

The note she wrote

My heart nearly broke

When I read it all in all

Saying she'd got wed

To a farmers son

Not far from Baltimore.

Now lads that's young

Take my advice

And adventure to relate

Do not believe

A fair young lass

One word that she might say

She'l tell you lad

She loves you

And she'll

Swear it

All and all

And she'll curl her hair

And leave ye there

Like Kitty from Baltimore."

Both of my parents stare at me like I am a cow in a chicken suit. "They must be teaching her good. Sings like an angel!" My father exclaims. He comes over to me and kisses the top of my head while glaring at my mother. "Thank you, father." I say.

Age 11

I am getting completely frustrated at my inconsiderate and dim mother. Over something that is even more stupid than she is. A silly pool party! Where she wants me to wear a bathing suit that shows more skin than a hairless cat. "Darling. Why don't you want to go?" My mother asks me. I tug up my shirt to show her my belly and the birthmark that curves all the way from my heart to below my belly button. She already knows how far up it goes. It is jagged. Almost like a knife was tearing up through my entire torso when I was a fetus. "It is not so bad." She says stupidly. I wonder if she says things any other way. "Of course it is bad, mother. Kids "now-a-days" hate anything and everything that is different. They will bully me and call me names. Therefore no one will like me and I will have no friends. There on I will go into a deep depression and then, in high school I will end up committing suicide over it. I will end up dead and you will have to bury your baby at the age of thirty-seven. Do you not see mother?" I ask.

"You know what? Fine. Don't go to the party." She says angrily. That's a first. Hallelujah. At least this time she said something half intelligent.

Age 13

I sneak around the house and follow my parents, but they do not hear me. I am a stealthy spy!

I find them in our living room sitting cross-legged in front of the fire place. There is a small fire going. Just enough to keep them warm. "Jared. Something is wrong with our child. Maybe she has a brain tumor. Or cancer." My mother says sounding hopeful. "Our child is perfectly fine. Smart, beautiful, and healthy. She is a normal child. You should be happy." My father says in my defense. "That child is far from normal." My mother snorts before continuing, "That song she sang when she was little? It's like a hundred years old! I called the school and talked to the music teacher. They do not teach that song there. Kitty From Baltimore. They never taught it there. Where is she supposed to have learned that? That child never said "mama" or "mommy" or "daddy"! All she says is "mother" and "father". She has better English than I do! And that birthmark?" "Suzan! That child is the only one we've got. I love my baby and maybe you should learn how to too! She has never done anything wrong to you. Everyone is different. I'm grateful my child isn't like everyone else's. She's unique." My father yells to her. "I-I-" my mother says before I run off to my room. I am done listening.

A little while later my father comes into my bedroom. He sits on the edge of my patriot blue bed. "You overheard us, didn't you?" My father asks. "Am I abnormal, father?" I ask. "No, sweetie. Just because you are smart and beautiful and an exceptional singer doesn't mean you are... Abnormal? Sorry. I'm not so sure what it means other than the obvious." My father says. I laugh without humor before saying, "Mother thinks I am an abomination. You could always give me to another family if I cause you two so much misery." My father pulls me into a hug and kisses the top of my head. "I love you, sweetie. I love you more than I lo-ove chocolate, and my phone." He says. I giggle. "Oh I would hope so." I say. "Annnnd pie. Oh. I really love pie. Mmm. Nah. I still love you more." He says. "I love you father. More than you know." I say. "Oh, I know so, because I love you more than that." He grins before exiting out my door. Slowly closing it behind him. I finally rest my head on my pillow and go to sleep.