Writing update: Yesterday I finished another story, which means I’m that much closer to having the collection finished (still thinking by mid-month). The new piece, “Mother’s Little Helper” was also written in anticipation of the birth of baby Luella sometime in the next couple of weeks. Technically, the baby is due Sept. 17, but all of us who know love Kimmy and Bawb know that their first born is going to be an impatient one, and none of us believe it will be the 17th before we see her.

A few days ago Bawb had a dream of his daughter where-in a group of people were marveling over her and someone ask when she was born. In the dream, Luella clearly answered, “Sept. 12 at 4:50 a.m.” which is pretty exact, although as I’ve got Sept. 9 in the baby pool, here’s hoping that little Luella gets a fibbing streak from her “Uncle” Tak and really she was stretching the truth in the dream for dramatic pause.

Anyway, still polishing up the first draft of “Mother’s Little Helper” but thought I’d post a mini-excerpt:

Lydia is mom’s little helper. Mom is the only mom on the block with an imaginary friend, but I don’t hold it against her. Sometimes I help mom too, but that’s usually so I can end up with frosting on my nose, although I’m never exactly sure how it gets there.

Dad doesn’t have any imaginary friends, although every month or so he seems to get worried that mom’s Aunt Flo will visit, but I’ve never met the lady.

Me, I’m precocious. At least that’s what my Uncle Jake says. Uncle Jake isn’t really my uncle, but he spells things for me. P-R-E-C-O-C-I-U-S. Uncle Jake says it means I’m “Pre-Concious or ‘almost self-aware’,” except he says it with that little foot shuffle he does that makes mom hide a giggle so I think he’s fibbing.

F-I-B-B-I-N-G. I don’t need Uncle Jake to spell that for me. He says it’s “the sound made when the air of truthfulness is slowly being let out of your tires.” He says things like that because he went to a Buddhist college.

A historical note about this piece: I came up with the idea for “Mother’s Little Helper” back in February as a story for Kimmy and Bawb’s wedding. At the time I was trying to think of a fitting wedding present and the radio station played a “Mother Block” — Pink Floyd’s “Mother,” The Beatles’ “Mother Nature’s Son” and The Rolling Stones’ “Mother’s Little Helper” — the story idea was there before the last song finished. A few weeks later I found out Kimmy was pregnant so I “back burnered” the project until closer to the due date and wrote “Auggie’s Wedding Gift” as the wedding present back in July.

One Response to ““Mother’s Little Helper” (and excerpt)”

1. Kendra Says:
   September 4th, 2008 at 9:33 am

   I love that you included an excerpt! I can’t wait to read the whole thing.

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