Thursday, November 29, 2012

The 2008 New Year's Baby ! Chapters 62, 63, 64 White Trash in the Snow



 The zombie  movie and the actor mentioned in Chapter 63  below are real. If you like zombie movies, or if you have someone on your gift list who does, the independent film Bled White is available from Amazon.com  and I am unashamedly giving a small group of hardworking talent this little plug. The 2009 film has won several awards and recently was distributed internationally. Yes, Bled White came out in 2009, and I included it in the December 2007 episode below. I can do that because this is fiction.
 The rest of this fiction was written between 2009 and 2010 to entertain real people, intelligent people, who in 2008 heard another fictional tale and said "I do not believe that."  The chapters below may be fiction, but it's believable fiction.  Thanks for being here.



WHITE TRASH IN THE SNOW
by Allison

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
New Year’s eve, at midnight, with his wife having gone to her room hours earlier, Tad was finding it hard to fall asleep. He pulled the recliner to a sitting position and raised the volume on the television. Watching the commotion being broadcast from Times Square, he reflected on the old year and  wondered what this year would bring the Saplins. In the past twelve months, their son became a man and their daughter, well, it was what it was. He’d bragged about his son to his buddies at work, and kept his daughter’s big news a secret even from his parents. He asked himself his annual New Year’s question – would he and Rachael be divorced by the next New Years Eve.
Good riddance to last year, he said to himself as he popped open another beer. He was looking forward to having life become manageable again. Yes, there was a baby coming, and the adoption to work out, but then that ordeal would be over. No election for Rachael this year, thank God. And in this first year in office he and Rachael had succeeded in working out a system for sharing her duties that ought to serve them well enough in the second year. Governing in a state where the  legislative session only lasted three months, his wife actually had a part time job. The season of regular work was over almost before it began. Public events came and went, they might do a few less local events this year and try to get invitations outside to some really big things. Hey, Rachael was making some waves, getting the radar screen of the national media and even talkin’ to the White House sometimes. This was fun- being important was a hoot. People giving them stuff all the time, the all expenses paid travel into the lower 48, and the fawning – all that was good.  Maybe the people pushing for Rachael to get the VP nod would succeed. Maybe it was possible for her to be on the ticket.  It was a long shot for sure, but sometimes he believed it could happen.
He made a resolution to himself right then to try to find at least one thing each day that he could do to help make his wife a contender. Make a call, drop a name, do an interview, send an email – there were many ways he could make a difference while remaining behind the scenes.

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

Wrangler wasn’t coming back for another two days. Cristol was ready for him to return, and they’d argued about it. Wrangler wasn’t often this stubborn, but he said it would be the first time he’d had a long visit with his Dad during Christmas vacation and with a baby on the way, it was now or never. Since the day Kevin Strauss left Jerrie, Wrangler and Porsche had been claimed by their mother for all holidays. The kids spent their entire holiday breaks at home with their mom while their dad got a couple hours worked in on a Sunday afternoon.
Wrangler was more sensitive now about his Dad’s situation; and he had a void of his own to fill as well. During one of their many phone calls while they were apart, Cristol had listened while Wrangler had  talked at some length about his relationship with his dad, the decision to spend this time with him, and the emotions he was feeling being there. He said he needed his dad now more than ever. Though the man had never complained, he’d pretty much been cheated out of  sharing his kids’ Santa years. Even when they were teenagers, and old enough to know their dad must have been hurt, year after year they served him up a little slice of an afternoon carved out of the week following Christmas. Once or twice, they had kept him on hold until after New Year’s Day. It shamed Wrangler to recall how, in the past, finding time to see his dad was almost a chore. He and Porsche referred to it as “fitting him in.” Kevin had never complained, though, or made them feel bad about it. He was fun and thoughtful and made sure they knew he loved them and he was proud of them. And he gave them some really awesome presents that, deep down, they knew he really couldn’t afford. But the timing of their so-called Christmas visits with Dad – December 28th, or, 29th, or 30th - meant that on the way to Dad’s they passed other people’s discarded trees with tinsel waving good bye from needle-sparse branches. The glow was off the season. Even the gayest wrapping paper looked tired and tree lights didn’t shine as brightly. Sadly, he admitted to Cristol that growing up, the so-called Christmas visit at Dad’s felt like an obligation. His sister called them “a big ho ho hum.”
This year was different. Wrangler sounded happy as he detailed for Cristol what had been going on. He and his dad had gone to see a much hyped new action film – the “big Christmas release” -  and agreed it was a disappointment. That put them in search of something different, and lucky for them,  they found a small, out of the way theater  playing  a zombie movie, “Bled White,” filmed in a desolate location somewhere outside of  Chicago in the dead of winter. Zombie movies were Wrangler and Kevin’s favorite genre, and their serendipitous discovery made their day. “It was just luck. We saw the poster, it said it had won some awards, so we said ‘what the hell…” She wasn’t listening to content as much as emotion. It was clear that Wrangler was stoked.
“It was awesome, Cristol. Not hokey at all. The music, too, Dad really liked it but we couldn’t come up with a word to describe it, then Dad said, ‘it’s like trying to find a word for the Law and Order sound, you know…”
“Wrangler? Enough already. I’m glad you and your Dad had a good time.”
“Thanks, Cristol. We did, we really did. If it comes out in DVD, you and I will rent it. Then you’ll see. It could have been filmed near Azzolla, abandoned house, snow blowing across stretches of empty…”
 “Thanks, but no thanks. What’d you say the name was? Blood in the snow? Yuck!”
“Bled White, and you’re wrong. It’s not all bloody and stuff like that, the story isn’t hokey, it’s awesome, you’ll see when we rent it.”
Cristol began to envision the fun of snuggling up to Wrangler and watching a scarey movie. “Okay, we’ll rent it,” she said.
“Cool. Mom and Porsche would even like it.”
Cristol rarely heard him so talkative. She let him go on even though her mind wandered. It was just nice to hear him so happy.
 “… and there was a girl in it I haven’t seen before  –  real pretty. Sort of looks like a younger Jodie Foster or Kate Hudson. I’m going to look on IMDB and see what else she’s been in. Dad said she looked like Porsche. Gotta remember her name, Colleen something…Boag? I think that’s it.”
Wrangler had made a mistake.“Your fat brunette girlfriend doesn’t need to hear that you’ve fallen for some cute blonde on a screen. Who do I look like to you? Kirstie Alley?”
Wrangler shut up. There was uncomfortable silence.
“So tell me something else you’ve been doing or I’m going to hang up.”
“Ummm, we watched some boxing.” They had stayed up late one night watching pay-per-view boxing. Set after set, father and son found themselves both routing for the underdogs. The next day they’d begun talking about the different matches and the personalities and styles of the fighters and ended up analyzing why they themselves could identify with being an underdog. “And we found out we like the same guys. Umm, boxers…” He saw no point in saying much more. “Gotta go, see you in a few days.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.”



CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
 Cristol tossed and turned. She imagined all her friends ringing in the new year with music and alcohol. That’s where she belonged. Like the year before, she and JJ had gotten so drunk that the next day her friends told her she’d done things she couldn’t remember. She punched her pillow and heaved herself onto her other side. Life isn’t fair, she thought.
With her imagination, she pushed the clock ahead a year to next new year’s eve. Her stomach would be flat again. Maybe her parents would stay in the capital and she and Wrangler could throw a party. It would be a big one. It had been grim not partying, not drinking, not hanging out with everyone, and not smoking weed.
At the thought of pot she felt queasy. She turned back to her left side again. As much as she tried, she couldn’t get comfortable. What had she eaten that was making her ill? Maybe it was the spicy sauce on the moose meatballs. Big mistake, she thought.
At 2 AM Cristol was dreaming that she was in school, hurrying down a crowded hallway, hoping no one would notice she had peed her pants. She awoke to find the bed was warm and wet. “I’ve wet the bed!” she thought in horror. 
Three seconds later, truth hit her.
“MOMMEEE!”

13 comments:

Dis Gusted said...

lovin' it!

Anonymous said...

I really like this serial, Allison. Can't wait for next week's installment...........

Yellowgirl

Allison said...

Dis Gusted and Yellowgirl, I'm enjoying this as much as anyone, especially when I hear from readers like you.

Anonymous said...

It's getting better and better! Jan first.....hmmmmm....2 AM....

Anonymous said...

How is this believable fiction?

Anonymous said...

I think in reality, "Cristol's" the only pregnant chick I've seen who doesn't get big at all while pregnant. She's still hot and angelic looking. Remember the RNC and just before her delivery date after the election. And the girl is also one of the few who is most comfortable without makeup and looks great. She's certainly the only girl W's ever dated who doesn't wear much makeup I've noticed. Recently on twitter, an old friend of hers and her family, I think his name was Jason, commented "Sorry 'Wrangler', 'Cristol' was hotter" when he heard of Wranger's wedding. LOL. It's interesting how so many boys chased her and how few she actually dated (JC was the biggest whom she never actually dated. He was sad about it too) But - that's all true and this is fiction. Allison has to have her fun. :) i Won't spoil it for you girl.

Though I think bringing in a little truth to this from the people you're fictionalizing would have been entertaining. In reality during this time, "Cristol" was hanging out with her cousin a lot, shopping for xmas and attending events for her mom's work. She and her cousin even remarked via social networking at seeing friends' moms in the mall.

I think it would have been funny to use those true stories and add in the fictional storyline of while-shopping-for-xmas-teen-girl-goes-into-labor-and-must-hide-it-from-1000-people.

Or maybe you could toss in the actual event of the family going to the cabin for new years as they always do. There are few closer families. It's understandable why "Wrangler" once said he loved the family and how much they helped him, despite trying to help their daughter make better decisions in dating. It sucks when your daughter dates a boy who's own parents don't care about what he does with his life or in their home, which is why the two teens always had to hang out there if they wanted to rebell. That, and "Cristol's" house was always filled with family and Wranglers always felt out of place, even when Rachael tried to show him how to cook a roast. Wrangler did say Cristol's parents were proactive at parenting and tried to get her to think about her decisions. She's a responsible girl and wise beyond her years but even those people, who grew up working in church nurseries and was always the mother of her group of friends, make mistakes. It's a good thing her parents are always there though.

Anonymous said...

I like how you're subtly mentioned the chasms in his family and his desire to join another, more stable one. His sister certainly has her esteem problems and it was obvious even before she started venting that she craved fatherly attention from hers and resented how he basically made his mistress his only family.

It's no wonder Wrangler kept himself stupid and open to Cristol's desire to have a baby with the rest of her friends. There's not a more maternal female on the planet and a person cannot ignore natural urges. The only sad part is that Wrangler later on lied about all this for money, to make himself not look like the worse off case.

But, as most people know, the most judgmental people are the ones with the most problems and the least confidence. Wrangler fits that to a tee. He criticizes everyone and everything when he has little life experience on those matters and knows no reali, in-depth information to form his opinions. Surface info doesn't qualify any of the judgments he was making. That's just common sense.

That is all.

I often feel there's little common sense and intelligence here and elsewhere on the net. I like to add some occasionally to keep things respectable and to open closed, ignorant minds.

LNY said...

To Anon 11:05

Everything is believable if you let yourself be closed-minded and/or ignorant enough. Any story that the brain creates could be real, which is why so many people have problems distinguishing between fiction and reality. The biggest blog problem. Allison is only one victim of this sad mentality.

eva marie said...

I am a long time reader of all the Palin blogs, having found Audrey's while searching for info on the vice president nominee all those years ago. Gryphen has a big fan and daily reader in me.

Allison, it is high time I let you know that I have been reading and thoroughly enjoying your story! I find myself looking forward to Friday to read the next chapters.

Well written and compelling, you have talent for the written word and storytelling my dear.

What the people who write posts as anon above did don't understand is the more they criticize this work the more believable it is to people like me.

jk said...

I completely agree with eva marie.

I love reading the continuing saga, and (to a much lesser extent) the pathetic denials and Palin-bolstering comments that follow.

eva marie said...

Anon said:
Though I think bringing in a little truth to this from the people you're fictionalizing would have been entertaining. In reality during this time, "Cristol" was hanging out with her cousin a lot, shopping for xmas and attending events for her mom's work. She and her cousin even remarked via social networking at seeing friends' moms in the mall.

I say:
I have heard this line of reasoning since the story about vp nominee broke. ‘Cristol’ was seen here, she was seen there. She went to Hawaii, she went to the mall. She was in the public eye at the state capitol, at the mansion.
Well okay, you can say that over and over…..but where’s the proof of this? All the pictures on Alaska’s state sponsored website were taken down. The, what was it?, Breast Cancer Event in March (??) has pictures but surprisingly none of ‘Cristol’. I remember seeing/discussing a picture released from this Hawaii trip but you can’t tell from that picture if anyone in that picture is pregnant or not nor can you tell if ‘Cristol’ is even in the picture. Grandma Palin released an official Christmas photo in her book and the website run by the Germans discovered that the picture was from the previous Christmas.
So please anon, can you get in touch with ‘all these people’ who saw the teenager during the months in question and ask why they don’t state publically that they saw the person in question? Please anon, ask why we can’t see all the pictures taken down from the State of Alaska’s government sponsored website.
As for me, I think both things are true. I have always believed that some people did in fact see ‘Cristol’ while she was pregnant the first time. And I believe she is the mother of two children. So what if people saw her? Is that the only evidence that she was not pregnant?? Unbelievable! {shaking my head}

Here's a bit of advice: Christians find it insulting to refer to the birth of Jesus as xmas. Don't worry though, you didn't offend me. I am a Pagan and celebrate the Winter Solstice, an event the early Christians attempted to stop and couldn't, so they just incorporated it into their religion.

Allison said...

Eva Marie and JK, it's nice to hear from you. And responses to Anon the reoccurring self-proclaimed expert are always welcome. As for Anon who writes in multiple posts in order to make it appear that there are others of like mind, it's good to know she's recovered enough to be back at it. The silence caused me to imagine a straight jacketed autumn and that's a sad thing.

Duncan said...

eva marie,

You nailed it... So did Allison.

I can't wait for the next chapter.