The Albedo Effect

01

After a summer of completing less than half of the things I had written for myself to do on my, 100 things to do before summer ends, bucket list, I woke up groggily at six thirty in the morning, to the blare of my seemingly soothing alarm sound. I went to hit snooze before realizing that today was relatively important on my internal scale of importance. There wasn't such a thing that didn't go on it.

"You getting up, Pip?" My father called from down the banister. I groaned and shoved my duvet over my head in an attempt to make myself into a burrito. I heard a chuckle sound from downstairs and a twinge in the stair boards as he started to climb them.

"School's an important part of your life, kiddo. Just think, in six hours you can come home and become a burrito again," He joked as he tried to peel the covers off of me. My father was an eccentric man. He worked for the International Archeology and Astronomy Society in the Astronomy division. We moved around quite a bit but it was good to be home again. We'd moved back last year and I had remade some connections with some old friends. We were peas in a pod again.

"Can't I just call in sick? We really, technically, don't do any learning on the first day," I asked him, my voice was muffled from the layers of cloth.

"You want to come fishing with me instead?" He asked. We lived in a small house right on the lake. It gave us access directly to the water so that the small fishing boat my father owned didn't have to be stored off in some marina.

"I'd rather just stay in bed," I told him, hoping that he'd let me.

"Then no can do, Pip. It's the fish or the sea monsters at school." He gave me a referendum. I could go out on the small boat, all day, cast a wire and wait for something to bite. Or I could go to school, where the sharks lived to bite our heads off. I realized that life was no fun unless you chased the bigger game and slowly sat up, at least I'd know I was doing something.

"That's my girl," He said and stood up. I could see now that he was dressed in a yellow raincoat and hat. His scruffy beard fit perfectly with my vision and definition of a fisherman.

"I'll go, but you owe me my ice cream. I better have it waiting for me in the freezer when I get home from that black hole," I reasoned with him as I stretched and walked into the bathroom to brush through my hair and wash my face. Fishing and space were the two things that my dad and I could really talk about. We knew quite a bit, and whenever we got the chance, a reference was bound to wind itself into the conversation.

"Deal. I'll bring you some fish too," He told me and I wrinkled my nose. The idea of eating the fish we caught didn't reside well in my brain. I wasn't a vegetarian but sometimes I wished I was. My father and I were pretty much the same person. We liked nature and the quiet of our life. We didn't feel the need to fill it with a mansion or three cars. I didn't own any designer duds, and would rather read a good book than gossip about the latest new boy or phone. I was simple, never needing more than I had, and I enjoyed it. I didn't have to think too much about worrying about what other people thought of me.

"Have fun on your trip," I said as he gathered a few key items and started towards the back door. He gave me a hug and a kiss on the forehead before exiting. I watched him from the doorway as he stepped into the boat and started up the engine. We waved and then he was gone. I walked back into the kitchen to get my breakfast ready. I found a sticky note sticking on the counter when I arrived.

Pip, I packed a lunch for you just in case. Don't let those trouts get you down. - Dad

I laughed and picked up the note. In the fridge was a reusable lunch bag and inside was a sandwich, peppers and a few other snacks. This made me feel like I was in grade school where he would drive me on the first day. I put the note into the bag and took it out of the fridge. My rucksack was sitting open on one of the chairs and I stuck it in. After, I popped up some toast, slathered it with butter and jam and took it on a plate up to my room so that I could get ready.