December. A year about shopping, drinking it up, and finally changing your life the next day. Everyone wants to be 'Healthier' or 'fitter' or 'slimmer'. The time of year where everyone wants to change. Gym memberships are bought and diets engaged. But for me, Noah Green, that's not the case.
I remember Christmas. It wasn't that exciting. My brothers and sisters were. So were their kids. I"m a failure. I am 25 and I don't have a wife or children, I haven't even gone to college. My other sisters have gone ahead and done just that.
Freddy, my older brother, has a wife named Jenny and three kids, Jacob, Hilary, and Zachary. He's a successful physical therapist who literally rolls in the Benjamin's. Bob, my younger brother, has a wife named Sally, and two kids, Frank and Ronald. He's a doctor. My sister, Molly, has a husband and a three month old baby girl named Riley. She is a nurse. My older sister, Jessica, is married to David Holmes,She has a boy named Henry and she's a well known Psychiatrist.
I have nothing. My siblings are all basically in the medical field.
I don't even want to be a doctor! I want to be a writer. I always wrote short stories and things like that. I even am making a book.I like writing because I can pretend to be something I'm not. I want to be a best-seller.But right now I'm a taxi driver in Chicago. My mother, Gwen, never talks to me. She just yells at me. You almost never hear her not swear in a conversation with me. She'll brag about her children, how they're all successful. Then she stops talking. She never has bragged about me. When she does talk about me, she tells me to do something. Not "How was your day!" Just "Go take the trash out Dammit!" I don't have a dad. Well I did but he died in an airplane crash. I loved my dad. He was always nice things about stuff and was always funny. He was a lawyer. not a very successful one, but enough to pay the bills. He never was successful because he always told the truth. He also got drunk every night which drained the money away.
"Whoa!" yelled twelve year old Jacob.
He held up a Playstation 3. The kids gathered around the console in awe. Bob smiled.
"What do you have there?" asked Jenny.
"It's a PS3 mom!"
I smiled. Everyone had the cutest kids. They were all perfect families.
"Noah!" yelled my mom.
"Yeah?" I asked. Was she going to give me a present?
"Go get the presents for everyone!" She didn't swear!
"Where are they?" I asked.
"In the closet dammit!" Maybe not.
So I went down to the basement and opened the closet.
It was more like a walk-in closet. I walked in and saw a black trash bag. I opened it up. Yep. Those were the presents. I pulled it out of the spot and letters cascaded down to the ground. I picked up a letter. 12/3/96.
Dear Gwen,
I'm sorry for what I've done. I never meant to harm you. I just kissed her. That's all. You sometimes make me angry when you yell at me. So I went over to her home. You know Megan Berry? She's very nice. I'm sorry that I kissed her. I didn't mean to. Know that I love you with all my heart.
With love,
Christopher
I was almost thrown to the ground.
My parents had an affair! Maybe. My father wouldn't have done that. Would he? I saw another paper. A pile of divorce papers. No.
"Noah! What in god's name are you doing?"
I grabbed the papers up frantically and shoved them in the shelf.
I took the bag upstairs and handed the presents out to my siblings.
"Oh, thanks mom! I always needed a blender!" said Bob.
"Thanks!" said Jenny, holding up a griddle.
Molly got a scrapbook and Jessica piano music. My mother was really good with presents.
I rummaged through the bag. Where was mine?
"Hey, sorry to sound bratty, but where's my present?"
"Oh, shit I must have forgotten to give you a present. Sorry Noah."
That bitch. I kept my cool. Being a middle child never had rewards. I knew that but couldn't quite except it.
This was complete proof. My cell phone rang. I took out my ancient cell phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey Noah! Would you like to join us in a game of texas hold 'em?" said Marvin
Marvin was my best friend. He had black hair and owned a pizzeria in town. He lived in a regular house.
I surveyed the room. Should I stay here? I couldn't stay in the same room with my wicked mother.
"Yeah." I said, closing the phone.
"Who was that uncle Noah?" asked Ronald.
"I have to run errands. Sorry I have to go."I said.
"It's Christmas Noah!" Yelled Freddy.
"I know, but I have to do this."
"It was nice to see you again." they said.
We all exchanged hugs with one another and I left. My mother sat in her recliner.
"Good thing he left. Bastard was dulling the party." she said.
"Not in front of the kids mom." said Molly.
