Take Me Home

Fateful Day

May 13th, 1982

"Eric! Breakfast!" Mom yelled from the kitchen as I hurried and got dressed faster. I sleeped in too late the next day, and I had to get dressed fast. So I opened my dresser and got a pair of my blue jeans out, and then grabbed one of my favourite striped blue and yellow long sleeve shirts. It was a bit chilly out this morning I heard Dad say, so I grabbed my black jacket just for the walk to school. I had to be quiet getting ready, because Cody was still sleeping. He was feeling sick the night before after supper, and so my mom and dad said he should rest today. So they let him sleep. After I got dressed, I grabbed my blue backpack and went to brush my teeth, and then went to the kitchen.

  Dad had already left to go take my sisters to school, and then he was off to work, and Mom was staying home today to look after Cody. Dad left to take Kate and Mandy to school, because for some reason preschool and kindergarten started earlier than the other grades. And they also got out of school earlier. I didn't know if that was with all schools, or only ours. Me and Cody usually walked to school together, and then we met Mike on the way. But on this day Cody was staying home, so I would just have to meet with Mike. Our elementary school was only three blocks away. It wasn't far of a walk. And plus, we always walked fast.

  After Dad—whose name was Henry Staener—took my sisters to school, he drove further away from our house to his job. He worked as an electrician, I think that's what it's called. He fixed people's lights, or something like that. He told me about it once before, but I forgot what he said. And Mom—whose name was Beverly Staener—she worked in some type of office, only I didn't know what she did. I remember I interviewed them before for a class project, and they talked about their jobs. But I forgot what they said. All I knew was that I didn't really get it, and didn't know what they meant and they said I would once I was older. Man, it seemed like everything got easier when you get older. You understand things more. Everything I didn't get my mom and dad always said I would when I got older. Can that day come sooner? When will I get older? Man, I can't wait till I'm older!

  When I walked into the kitchen, Mom was sitting at the table and there was a bowl sitting out. It was a bowl of cereal. Sugar Crisps. That was my favourite! Mom never let me eat cereal for breakfast, because she said there was no nutrients in that. And that it was only junk food. But sometimes, on some mornings she would let me have a bowl. And I loved those mornings! But those mornings were only when something big happened, like a big event or it was my birthday. I sat down beside her and in front of the bowl, with a big grin on my face. She laughed.

  "Really Mom? You're letting me eat Sugar Crisps for breakfast?!" I asked with happiness in my voice, and she nodded her head.

  "Yep. But don't get used to this, because it's only for today," she said as I picked up the spoon and put a big mouth full of crisps in my mouth. The sugar danced on my tongue. It was really sweet. I could see from the corner of my eye she was staring at me, and then she put her hand over my head and rubbed my hair a bit gently. The way she did when I'm the one that was sick. I had always felt close to my mom. 'A mommy's boy' I heard my dad say sometimes. I thought that was funny, but Mom and I had this type of bond that me and Dad didn't really have. Yeah, me and Dad had a different type of bond than me and Mom, but Mom was different. I just felt closer to her. But that didn't mean I loved her more. I loved them both the same. But when I would hurt myself, I wanted my mom. When something scared me, I wanted my mom. When I was sick, I wanted my mom. And it went on and on.

  "What's the special event?" I asked her with crisps full in my mouth, and she didn't answer me right after. She waited.

  "There's no special event. I just thought this could be a treat," she said back to me as she went on stroking my bark coloured hair. She ran her fingers through it, like she was combing my hair. I didn't have to comb my hair. It was kind of long, longer than most boys wore theirs, but my hair wasn't too thick and was smooth. So no need for brushing because it didn't get knots. "Hey. What do you say we make some cookies when you get home from school?" my mom asked me as I paused from my cereal and my ears listened more when she said the word cookies. I loved to make cookies! And of course with Mom. With Mom the most. We had a few cook books in the pantry, and we had about five different cookie recipes. We both loved to switch them around, and one time we even mixed some recipes together; making a combination. I remembered that cookie was really good.