In the House (that wasn’t our first house, but the house) I Grew Up In

House

It’s the one on the corner with the flagless flagpole. The sides are wonky with bricks poking out this way and that. It seems the architect had taken artistic liberty. It’s okay, my cat likes to climb the bricks and sunbathe. A stone moat surrounds the castle as weeds sparsely break the surface only to be uprooted and thrown into the trash. Years ago I actually had to shovel that driveway around this time of year. It’s sunny right now, so you can’t see through the windows. The lights won’t be on at night either. 

Sounds

It’s quieter now that (s)he’s gone. Less arguing. It makes going to sleep easier. Sometimes at night I hear the *clack* *clack* of my dog’s claws as she slumps across the kitchen tile in search of a cooler place to lay. 

Holidays

We can’t light the fireplace, gas is too expensive. My sister wants to, she says it’s part of the spirit. How can a fireplace put us back into the spirit? Especially since the window’s have been open since (s)he left. 

Temperature

Have you ever turned the hot water on so hot that it started to feel cold?

Meals

I eat on the couch. My left arm drapes over the side as my right manipulates the fork. My cat sits next to me purring as I feed him a piece of my dinner. I hit the clicker. It’s the episode when Dwight pretends to be recyclops and destroys the office. This is the third time I’ve watched The Office all the way through. The first time was the best because we all watched it together. I remember your laugh. 

Sleep

It’s funny how silence can be so loud and make you sweat. I need to open a window. 

Process Notes:

I guess I have settled on climate change as my topic for this quarter. With that being said, it is still a weekly struggle for me to find ways to make the issue seem relatable to me, let alone the reader. For this assignment I tried to leave climate change in the background. This was done to not only make the reading a little more personable, but also to highlight exactly how climate change is affecting the Earth. Everyone goes through trials and tribulations, some big and some small, that may take up all of our attention. Everyday, while we are distracted, there is a terminal illness that is looming over all of us that few people choose to give mind too.