The Second Belchamp
January 1
10 a.m.
“Shut up, Belchamp,” Marianne says. The first Belchamp died, and Marianne picked up another dog from the pound. This one could be Belchamp, small and furry, a hot dog with pointy ears except she’s younger and louder. And if George returns, we wonder if he’ll care. The dog likes everyone.
“Is there anything to drink besides coffee?”
The mutt looks up as if she understood what I asked, and she has the same question about what there is to eat. Anything other than dog food?
“Where did you disappear to last night?” Marianne says.
“Where they have real food.” And I tell her I didn’t eat at the fancy party with all the pretty people. I left.
It stuns her, the knowledge I didn’t stay. Her mouth opens but she says nothing.
Belchamp is most likely silent from real hunger. I don’t know how she survives on kibble and table scraps. And I say, "You never fed the first Belchamp and his old body gave out."
"Where did you find this amazing food last night?" Marianne asks.
If I could see into Marianne's mind, I imagine it would be watching a war with my privileges in the house on one side and her rules on the other. And one by one, car, phone, even the ability to go places will be rounded up if I don't give her a good answer.
Where were you? Where was the food? The Mean Girls chant.
"It doesn't matter. I should have stayed with you at Don and Ally's." And then I ask, "Have you heard the latest about Don?"
10 a.m.
“Shut up, Belchamp,” Marianne says. The first Belchamp died, and Marianne picked up another dog from the pound. This one could be Belchamp, small and furry, a hot dog with pointy ears except she’s younger and louder. And if George returns, we wonder if he’ll care. The dog likes everyone.
“Is there anything to drink besides coffee?”
The mutt looks up as if she understood what I asked, and she has the same question about what there is to eat. Anything other than dog food?
“Where did you disappear to last night?” Marianne says.
“Where they have real food.” And I tell her I didn’t eat at the fancy party with all the pretty people. I left.
It stuns her, the knowledge I didn’t stay. Her mouth opens but she says nothing.
Belchamp is most likely silent from real hunger. I don’t know how she survives on kibble and table scraps. And I say, "You never fed the first Belchamp and his old body gave out."
"Where did you find this amazing food last night?" Marianne asks.
If I could see into Marianne's mind, I imagine it would be watching a war with my privileges in the house on one side and her rules on the other. And one by one, car, phone, even the ability to go places will be rounded up if I don't give her a good answer.
Where were you? Where was the food? The Mean Girls chant.
"It doesn't matter. I should have stayed with you at Don and Ally's." And then I ask, "Have you heard the latest about Don?"
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