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Monday, August 29, 2011

Hey! You! Get Out of My Way! Part 3-Now it begins

Laura’s father grumbled and mumbled his way through dinner shooting evil looks at me every chance he got. Laura’s Mother would mutter “Dear” and roll her eyes when she thought her husband was being ridiculous.

Laura a self proclaimed “vegetarian” was in a “noodle faze” and would eat them out of the bowl with her fingers holding them high in the air. She would shout out the words “asshole or fucker” whenever her Father would mumble at me. I on the other hand would run away in my mind.

Dinner finished and Laura’s father stood up, walked to his room and slammed the door to his bedroom. ‘Drama Queen,” Laura yelled out in his direction. “Theatre people,” Laura’s Mother would say shaking her head and chuckling.

I headed to my room with no ceremony and no fanfare. My throat was killing me and I was exhausted. I laid down on the bed and immediately fell into a heavy sleep. I slept right through the night and woke in the morning still in my clothes. I propped myself up on my elbows. My head was spinning, my throat hurt and I was still exhausted. I could have slept another 10 hours.

Walking into the kitchen I saw Laura’s Mother and told her how I felt. She immediately put one hand on my head to check if I was hot. She couldn’t feel anything but knew something was wrong when I yelped drinking orange juice. It burned my throat like I was drinking liquid fire. Laura’s Mother would call the doctor and see if she could get me an appointment after school today or tomorrow.

All during school, I kept drifting off to sleep. Finally school was over and I asked Laura to drive home a little faster. I was looking forward to meeting Steven at 4pm. “Got a date?” Laura asked. The school year was winding down and summer recess was about to happen. I planned on having a great summer.

I ran into the house to find a note from Laura’s Mother. My doctor’s appointment would be the following day. “Fantastic,” I thought to myself and ran around getting ready to meet Steven. At exactly 4pm he pulled up next to me on his bike and told me to “Hop On.” I climbed on the seat of his bike, wrapped my arms around his waist and we were off.

Steven asked me questions as we flew through various housing developments. I would catch a word here or there and answer based on what I thought I heard him ask.

Finally we arrived at his house.

To be continued……

Geoffrey Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writing "A Day in the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written consent.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Hey! You! Get Out of My Way! Part 2-Now it begins

Since the house was sitting on a hill, I only had to drop less than a foot to the ground. Once I landed, I started running to the front yard. 

Silently I creep around to the front of the house and look through the front door window. I can see the whole group sitting outside the bathroom holding hands. I can hear and see Laura’s Mother talking through the closed door. “It’s ok; everyone is scared at some time.”


“Now what am I supposed to do?” I thought to myself. “I am screwed again. I snuck back down the side of the house and hit the street running as silently as I could. Where was I running? What would I do when I got there? All I knew is that I needed distance. 


With nowhere to go, I literally sat in the woods looking at my watch wondering how to get out of this mess. Nearly an hour passed and I had no plan. I was stuck so I decided to face everyone and head back. I stood up and took three steps onto the road and a dirt bike skidded to a halt right next to me. The kid was my age, muscular, slightly grubby with his hair long in the front. A look of surprise was on his face and he was breathing heavy. His muscle shirt was pushed up exposing his stomach. “Whoa, look out!” he yelled as his bike missed me by inches.


The gravel sprayed out from under his tires and pinged off my leg. He stopped, swung the bike around and walked towards me. “Are you ok?” he asked, his feet dangling above the ground as he sat in the seat. “I was hiding in the woods, sorry I scared you.” I responded. 


He flipped the hair hanging in his eyes out of the way and smiled. My heart dropped.


“What’s your name?” he asked now standing an inch in front of me. “Geoff.” I said looking in his eyes. He flipped his hair again and smiled. “I’m Steven.” Steven and I stood there and made small talk for a couple of minutes and then the reason I was hiding in the woods came up. I told him the whole story and that I thought that I was on the run from a cult. He laughed and told me if I ever needed a place to live he had plenty of room at his house.


Steven walked with me back to Laura’s house. “Meet me here tomorrow at the same time.” Steven said mounting his bike and riding off. “Oh yeah, good luck.” He yelled over his shoulder as he rode away.


I looked at the house and saw that the dining room light was on. I walked up the front steps and into the house. Laura’s Mother was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen. “I bet you thought that your stunt today was funny?” Laura’s Mother said not meeting my eyes. “No, I’m really sorry, I’m not ready to talk yet,” I said hoping that I was buying some time.


“If you live here you have to attend all meetings.” Laura’s Mother said looking directly at me. “I will have to tell Laura’s Father about this.” “I understand,” I muttered. As she went back to preparing dinner I took the long walk back upstairs to the bedroom. Twenty minutes later, I was called for dinner.


When I turned the corner I saw Laura’s Father sitting at the head of the table. His eyes followed me as I walked in and focused in on me when I sat down. He cleared his throat once. He cleared his throat again. My head moved slowly in his direction. He glared at me and through clenched teeth and said, “We do not lock ourselves in bathrooms and crawl out windows in this house!” “If I saw you run into the streets after dropping out the window, I would have hit you with my car.” To bring the story home, he raised his hand and hit the table, once again causing the cups to jump.

To be continued………….

Geoffrey Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writing "A Day in the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written consent.


Monday, August 15, 2011

Hey! You! Get Out of My Way! Part 1-Now it begins

Laura’s Mother is calling my name from the bottom of the stairs. “Geoff, Geoff, Geooooofffff!” “It’s meeting time.” I can feel her pausing, waiting for a response.  “Shit,” I think to myself and answer with “I’m coming.” 

I grab a sweatshirt and head to the stairs. Laura’s Mother is standing at the bottom waiting.  Her arms open and I am forced to walk right into them. She pulls me in and again chokes back a tear. “Come on,” she says and motions to the basement.

Two hours later, I find that I am still sitting on the floor in a circle with my legs crossed. I am now listening to the time that Mark’s Mother referred to him as a kid and “How that made him feel”. Tears are streaming down Mark’s face and a string of snot is hanging from his nose. The kids are hanging on his every word. 

“Jesus,” I think to myself, these kids don’t know what problems are. After a long group hug around Mark initiated from Laura’s Mother, their attention is turned to me.

Laura’s Mother stands and clears her throat. “Everyone, this is Geoff.” She motions with her arm as if she is Carol Merrill and I am a new fridge on the guessing block. “Geoff’s parents recently threw him out of their house.” “He was living in a runaway shelter until he smoked marijuana and ran away.” 

One by one during her speech they turn their eyes on me.  It is like a scene from “Children of the Corn” when they look to Malachai to figure out their next move. I am now unbelievably uncomfortable and want to flee. “Let’s start with a group hug,” Laura’s Mother yells waving everyone in to surround me.  

Everyone rises to their feet and I begin to feel a panic rising in my throat. Slowly they walk towards me, arms extended. I get my legs under me and rise to standing. A kid nearest to me smiles and I look for the nearest exit. Ducking all the arms I run for the stairs to take me out of the basement. Dodging bodies, I hit the stairs taking two steps at a time. “Oh Geoff,” Laura’s Mother yells. 

Someone yells “Get him!” and I am living “Lord of the Flies.” I hit the top of the basement and slam the door. They are in hot pursuit of me. Someone hits the door on the other side and I look to lock it. 

Panicked, I find that there is no lock on my side, so I brace it with my body. An avalanche of children hit the closed door, pushing me and sending it opening in my direction.

Turning around, I run for the bathroom. I slip inside, slam and lock the door and back up to the other side of the room. Slowly at first and then with increasing intensity the children begin to pound on the door. I can hear their leader, Laura’s Mother calling to me and talking to the kids.

“Geoff, we are going to sit outside this door and wait for you to come out.” She waits for me to answer. Seconds become minutes. I put my ear to the door to listen for breathing. They seem to be waiting just on the other side. “We’re here.” Laura’s Mother yells waiting for me to open the door.

Jumping back, I turn around and see the bathroom window. I grab onto the sash, throw it up and slide out.

To be continued……..

Geoffrey Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writing "A Day in the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written consent.

Hey! You! Get Out of My Way! Part 22 Leaving Home

School goes too fast. I spend most of my day watching the clock. What the hell am I about to encounter when I get back to Laura’s? What kind of meeting is this? Is it a cult? Is there a goat involved?

All I know about church is that every Sunday my sisters and I were forced to sit not only through Church but Sunday school as well. Church service was an hour and Sunday school was an hour as well. We attended Hamilton Union Presbyterian Church.


I remember that the clock was at the back of the room and only the Minister could see it. I would get whacked every time I turned around to look at that clock. Church was boring and torturous. Our Minister was long winded. One thing that annoyed me was that my Mother took to dressing us all alike. If we were clean and dressed well, that made her look good in the eyes of god and the congregation.


When I was young I even was sent to a religious camp named Camp Hebron. My Mother told me that I loved it. I don’t remember that much about my experience. I do remember that I was sent home early for looking at some girls boobs through a hole in the wall. My parents were called home early from their vacation. Looking at girls boobs through a hole was not a proper and wholesome way to discover the female of the species. 


The end of the day came and Laura was waiting for me in the parking lot. It was time to go to my first meeting. The car ride home was quiet. I cleared my throat a lot and Laura looked at me lovingly.  As we pull into the driveway Laura looks at me. “Nervous?” she asks. “A little,” I admit.


I open the car door, the dogs are waiting. As I climb out and walk to the house they jump around my feet. Walking into the kitchen, Laura throws the cars keys on the table. “Were home,” Laura screams.


Laura’s mother buzzes through the kitchen, her arms full of papers and materials for her meeting. “Hello Children,” she says pausing briefly. Her eyes look up as if she is reading what she just said. Pleased with herself she smiles and heads into the basement.


I head up the stairs and into my new bedroom. My throat is dry and scratchy; I’m not feeling too well. I try to tell myself that it is nerves. Cars begin to arrive, dropping off armies of children. I peek around the corner. I recognize Laura’s best friend Mark. He arrives with his little brother



To be continued…………..

Geoffrey Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writing "A Day in the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written consent.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Hey! You! Get Out of My Way! Part 21 Leaving Home

That night I stay in the room at the top of the stairs and sleep with one eye open. No one bothers me and I end up getting very little sleep. In the morning I can hear Laura’s Mother puttering around the kitchen singing softly to herself. I climb out of bed, throw on some sweats and walk downstairs.


Laura’s Mother is busy standing over the stove with a spatula in her hand making French toast. She looks up at me, smiles and walks over arms extended. She then throws her arms around me pulling me in tight and begins to sway back and forth. “Did you sleep well?”She asks “Yes,” I struggle to say, her arms are wrapped around my throat so tight they are cutting off the oxygen supply to my head. She pulls back looks into my eyes, pushes my hair back and mumbles “Poor baby.” Her lip begins to tremble and a lone tear runs down her face. She wipes it off with the back of her hand.


Turning on one heel she spins back to the stove just in time to save her French toast from burning. “Sorry about last night,” she says without looking at me. “Laura’s Father is quite a handful.” I mentally answer her, not responding out loud. I know that family can be very close even if it seems crazy to the outside world. “Coffee?” she asks in the middle of pouring a cup for me.


I am so happy to have so many people care about me and my well being and I take a minute to thank whoever put me on the planet. “Thank god,” I say out loud. Laura’s Mom spins around and looks at me. “God?” she says with a crooked smile forming on her face. “Hmmmmmm, that’s good that you believe in god.”  

She begins to tell me that her family belongs to the Unitarian Church in Albany. It is a church that welcomes everyone. Luckily, they also have a meeting in the basement after I get home from school today. I am informed that if I stay under their roof it is mandatory that I go to all church meetings held in the house.


Laura’s Mother goes on to explain one of the main philosophies of today’s church group, is that children have a voice. “Today’s meeting should help you; it’s kind of a therapy group” says Laura’s Mother excitedly.


 “Oh wait a minute,” she says pausing in mid sentence “I have just had a banner made up for today’s meeting.” With this, Laura’s Mother leaves me and the French toast in the kitchen.


Sitting alone in the kitchen I silently pray that Laura’s Father has already left for work.

I can hear Laura’s Mother opening and closing the closet door in her room and then I hear her running down the hallway. She comes back into the kitchen with a long tube held in front of her. Removing a rubber band she unrolls it and holds it out. The banner is large black letters printed on a white background.


“Kids are Goats, Children are people” it reads.


To be continued…….

Geoffrey Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writting "A Day in the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written consent.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Hey! You! Get Out of My Way! Part 20 Leaving Home

Dinner gets stranger and stranger. Laura’s Dad takes whatever moment he can to glare at me and mouth crazy words I can’t make out. He only does this when he’s sure that no one is looking. I keep glancing at Laura and her Mom to see if they are seeing what I’m seeing. Laura’s Mom slowly chews her food while she stares into the distance, the dining room lights reflect off her glasses. Every now and then she sighs as if remembering a sad moment in her life. Laura on the other hand, winks at me when our eyes meet.

“What do you plan on doing for a job?” Laura’s Dad announces suddenly breaking the silence. “This is not a free ride; I am not the head of a gravy train,” he raises his hand and bangs it on the table. The cups jump.  Laura’s Mom quickly comes out of her haze and mumbles “Dear.” 

Laura on the other hand tells her father to “Shut the fuck up.” Acting like a slapped dog, Laura’s Dad returns to glaring at me. A long moment of silence falls over the table. Laura’s Dad begins humming his favorite tune “How to handle a woman.”

Laura’s Mom comes out of her haze for the second time at dinner and slowly turns her head in her husband’s direction. A frown crosses her face. “I hate that song, it’s so degrading,” she says looking directly at him. He stops in mid hum, stares at her and begins to sing at full voice “If I knew you were coming, I’d have baked a cake.”  The title “Welcome to the Monkey House,” appears in my head.

Laura stands up from the table, grabs her plate and goes into the kitchen. She pauses in the doorway long enough to give her father the finger.

Laura’s Dad takes this moment of me not being protected and swings his head towards me. “I assume you will be sleeping upstairs across the hallway from my lovely daughter Laura?” “I guess,” I say. “I haven’t been told where I am sleeping.” “Good,” he says forcing a smile through clenched teeth, just in case his wife looks over. “I patrol the house at all hours.” With this said he stands up, steps away from the table, walks into his bedroom and slams his door. For the third time tonight Laura’s Mom is jostled out of her haze. She shakes her head and sighs.

I’m not sure why any of this conversation is happening. I don’t have enough clues yet to put together the reason why there is such a huge level of dysfunction going on.

To be continued………

Geoffrey Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writing "A Day in the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written consent.

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