Goal: Get money Conflict: parental fight Disaster: Dad leaves
“Beta, how was work?” Mummi said with pride in her voice.
Mummi had apparently been rummaging through the boxes in search of something. The stack in one corner had been disassembled and a few of them were scattered about the scant floorspace with their tops open and contents autopsied. Daddi lay on the floor on his mattress, with a bit of his space invaded by Mummi’s exploration. He’d contorted his long le
“It was great,” Happy said.
“Good, I’ll heat you up some aloo gobi,” Mummi said as she groaned and got up.
“Mummi, I need $10,” Happy said.
“Why do you need that?” Mummi said.
“I never ask for anything but now I need it. Can you just give it to me?” Happy said.
Happy knew he’d make a critical error in his reasoning immediately. His mum got up in a tiff.
“Your donkey. Your father just lost his job. I can’t work and we’ve had to make you work. We don’t have $10 to give without a good reason,” Mummi said.
Mummi’s tone was a hint more reasonable as now Happy was the breadwinner, and he had to be reasoned with instead of simply scolded. This emboldened Happy.
Daddi murmured upon hearing his name but went back to his newspaper just as quickly. This was enough to catch Happy’s attention.
“Daddi, can you give me something from your cash. Even $5. Please Daddi,” Happy said.
Daddi put down his newspaper and rolled over cubby. Underneath one of the stacked chairs next to his mattress, he’d created a minidesk for himself. He kept his chewing tobacco, his reading glasses and his wallet. He unzipped his thick wallet. It was full of handwritten papers with friend’s phone numbers. Happy had also given him one with the hone phone number on it that was at the very front in case he was found blacked out anywhere.
Daddi found four dollars in change and rolled back over towards Happy. He extended it to him in a post reminiscent of Adam on the Sistine chapel.
Before Happy could grab it Mummi was in between them preventing the handoff.
“You bitch, let me know give my son some money when he asks. Must you take away every last of my dignities?” Daddi said.
“I’m the only one holding this house together,” Mummi said, through quickly onset tears.
Happy was taken aback.
“Don’t call her bad names,” Happy said looking down over Mummi’s head.
“Why not? She’s a cunt who I should’ve divorced when my parents told me to,” Daddi said.
“Oh yeah? The same parents who kicked me out into the snow? You’d take their side over the mother of your children. I was in the snow holding him over my head you bastard. And you did nothing,” Mummi said.
“OK guys stop,” Happy said.
“My father told me to divorce you,” Daddi said.
“Your father also made a pass at me, and you did nothing,” Mummi said.
Daddi got up and slapped Mummi.
Happy heard this and was upon Daddi before he fully knew why. He’d pushed past Mummi so fast she fell, luckily her knees on the mattress, but still wailing on pain.
Happy tried to grab at a shirt that wasn’t there, so he gripped his Dad’s bare neck instead. The shock made Daddi make choking noises.
“How could you, you fucking loser,” Happy said.
Mummi’s hands were on Happy’s ankles, trying to trip him and. stop the encounter.
“Leave hm alone you donkey, we were just talking,” Mummi said.