The series Six-Feet Under has come to the Bravo Network. I did not watch TV for eight years so I am finally able to catch up on this much talked about series. People used to tell me the redhead daughter reminded them of me in my high school and early college years. Since I never knew the TV program I could not comment if it was true.
Then last Saturday while resting all day I watch a marathon showing of the first season of Six Feet Under. I fall in love with the series. I enjoy well-written TV. I like the redhead daughter but can't really see the connection between her and I until...
My brother knocks on my door Friday morning. It is a rare event when he comes over to visit. He never calls and only visits when he is troubled. He is the older sibling who is forever doing the right thing. I used to call him “Dudley Do-Right” when we were teenagers just to piss him off. Since graduating from college he has chosen to work in construction, because he finds the walls of an office "suffocating". He gets up at 5:00 am every day - just like my father and is roaring along by 7:00 am.
When I open my front door at 7 am dressed in a robe, rubbing my eyes, instead of saying hello, he says, "Jesus Christ! You aren't still in bed are you?" I have to look around because I swear he is channeling our dead father. He is clutching papers in his hands and I invite him in. The coffee is about done brewing. I offer him a cup, "No I've had three already and breakfast. Good God, when do you go to work?" "Gees, you sure are a nag” I respond, pouring my first cup of coffee. I lead him into my living room.
I sit down ready to hear what his problem is and offer my opinion. He has questions about his current home loan. I tease him by falling out of my chair because he actually trusts me with a financial question. He laughs and tells me to stop. My brother saved his first thousand dollars by the time he was seven. I was twenty-eight when I started realizing all the money in my accounts were not meant to be spent. He married the right girl, from the right wealthy family, while I walked away from all that when I left Rich. My brother is divorced now, of course, which I rather enjoy, (Not because it hurt him - because it killed me to see him in such pain) because he is not so perfect anymore. I like him better this way.
I answer all his loan questions and we talk about my niece and nephew. He has decided to host Thanksgiving this year. This will be the first time in the history of our family a man is handling the Thanksgiving feast. My mother is having panic attacks. I don’t know why, as her turkey is always as dry as cactus in the Mohave desert. We are not brave enough to tell her this (we do want to live to be 90). My brother and I hold out hope, with his cooking abilities we might not have to put an inch of gravy on our turkey this year. I am looking forward to sitting around his pool catching up with my niece. It seems my nephew is struggling through his own sixteen year old stuff. Brian will be excited to follow him around all day and bug the crap out of him.
My TV is on low as we sit in the living room at 7 am. Bravo happens to be the channel and suddenly a Six Feet Under advertisement appears. My brother stops, turns his head, laughs and says, "Have you watched this show?" I respond, "Yes, I just started last weekend.” He says, "Was that us after dad died or what?" I hadn’t really thought about it, but while he grins it dawns on me, "Mom is like the mother" I comment. He laughs, nods and says, "You were a pain in the ass like the sister.” (I am thinking I am still the pain in the ass). He rises from the chair and thanks me for my loan advice. He gives me a hug and says, "You need to get up earlier." I roll my eyes and he walks out the door.
Once outside, he turns to me and says, "You should come down to the union office. They are desperate for people because of the freeway-widening project. They can't get enough help." Me in a hard hat? He goes on, "It has great benefits that pay 100% which can help get you well. See you later.” He turns and walks away. I laugh thinking; yeah they would hire me since they hire guys just out of prison. My brother is known for understanding how to deal with them ... it is why he has risen through the ranks of the union. But his sister…???
Saturday, between cleaning house and feeding boys I watch a segment of Six Feet Under. The redhead daughter on the show has been sent to a weekend camp because she was busted. I laugh. When I was 16 I was picked up in the State Park for under age drinking. I was with a bunch of friends watching a local baseball team. We were all drinking and I was the lucky girl the cops reached in and picked. I thought my dad was going to tear the door off the building when he arrived at the police station. I asked the sergeant if I could stay. They did not arrest me, just wrote me a ticket to appear in court.
I got in so much trouble with my parents for that stunt. When it came time to go before the judge, she looks at my school records and says, "You are an A student and on the honor role. I have letters from your teachers here telling me what a great kid you are. Tell me again, why are you here in my court?" "I was drinking beer with my friends in the park,” I respond. "Honest too… I see,” she says, "Will you promise me you will wait until you are 21 to drink again?" I smile, "Sure". She rips my file in two and says "Then I have never seen you here." My dad is so mad that I got off this easy that he extends my restriction by a month.
In watching the girl on Six Feet Under I constantly laugh aloud. I see who her boyfriend is; this two ear ringed troubled youth who was just like the hockey player that was my boyfriend in high school. My brother and I also made fun of the men our mom dated after dad died. We hated most of them until Papa Dick came along. I remember one of the men mom dated called and was an ass to me on the phone. I told him I was getting my mother and then just set the phone down. I turned up the stereo and never moved. Several hours later I put the phone back on the hook. The next time he came over he tried to lecture me and I flipped him off. I got on the back of my boyfriend’s motorcycle and rode off.
At the time my mother would try to defend him and we would get into these fights. I referred to him as “pencil-neck guy”, or “queue-ball head man”. God, she would get mad. After she marriesour “Papa Dick” she finally admits I was right about “pencil-neck man”. I loved Papa Dick. He was wonderful to me, and to Brian. When mom married him it was as if he brought the family back together and heals our broken hearts. We were thrilled mom didn't marry any of the other goofballs she'd been dating. Papa Dick sure loved Rich. He wanted us to get married so badly. He didn't want me to marry my ex husband. I could say that I should have listened, but there would be no Brian and Papa Dick adored Brian. He spoiled him rotten. Of course, we all know I am crazy for Brian too.
Thankfully, I think I have grown up since being the redheaded girl with the chip on her shoulder, although the rebel in me does come out from time to time. I try hard to contain her, but it is difficult sometimes. I think my inner rebel is more under control when I am with a man who is a warrior-type. What I mean by this is a man who handles difficulties with ease and determination. He is street smart and just a wee bit untrusting of strangers. Both Rich and my ex husbands are not warriors, which forces a woman to take charge in difficult times when involved with them. Most women don’t like it. For me the rebel girl comes out when I lose respect for a man.
I suppose I am not as far from the redhead character, Claire in Six Feet Under as I thought…
Until next time-
C
