Linda's Story

Begging And A Great Big Brother

"Mom," ten year old Linda O'Shea walked into the salon after she had come back from a play date with Sydney. Sydney's mom had dropped her off in front of the salon Marni worked at. She stood next to her, watching her fix a lady's hair. "Saturday is a free kids' day at the zoo. Maybe you or Daddy could take me? Or even Jimmy?"

"You'll have to ask your father when he gets home." She clipped the hair into different sections.

She sighed. Her Dad had suddenly decided she needed to be on a short leash. "He'll just say no." She mumbled to herself, "it's his favorite word."

"I'm busy. Go over there and don't get in the way."

She slumped in the direction Marni had nodded. She sat down, wondering if Tony would let her go to the zoo. Maybe not, since she was ten and Jimmy was twelve. But they would both get into the zoo for free! She whispered, "please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes."

**********

Wendy did not like toting her siblings around town, but she supposed that was the burden of every oldest child. She and Linda were sitting in silence, until Linda reached over and turned on the radio. One of her favorite songs came through the speakers, and she smiled and leaned back. "Wendy, if Daddy won't let me and Jimmy go to the zoo alone, will you please come with us?"

"Linda-"

"I really want to go! I wanna see my elephants!"

"You and elephants! Why do you like them so much?"

"Because they're beautiful! And wise, and gentle. And they never forget!"

Wendy rolled her eyes, "what day?"

"Saturday."

"Can't do it on Saturday. I have a college interview."

"For which college?"

"FIDM."

"FIDM?"

"Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising."

"Where's that at?"

"Los Angeles."

"California." Linda said almost skeptically. She didn't want her sister to go all the way on the other side of the country. She wanted Wendy to stay here, in New York, with her.

"Sunny California!" Wendy sounded happy.

"Well... if you're happy, I'm happy." Linda wanted to be a people pleaser. She wanted to keep the peace, even if she didn't agree with her sister's choice of college.

***********

"Daddy!" Linda came running up to him, and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Did you have a good day at the office?"

"Nope. Lousy." He pushed past her, and that should have been her first sign to ask him about the zoo later. She followed him into the kitchen, watched him grab a beer from the fridge. "Marni! You dumb cow! You got light beer!"

Linda frowned, "don't call Mama that."

Tony tossed the beer into the sink, the glass shattering, making his daughter jump. That should have been her second sign to drop the zoo question. "What did you say?"

"Don't call her that. Her name is Mama."

Tony was at the end of his rope, "go to your room."

"Why? I didn't do anything!"

He grabbed her wrist and smacked her butt hard ten times, bringing tears to her eyes. "I said go to your room!"

She wanted to protest, but she was so mad (and scared of getting spanked again) that she turned to run to her room. She stopped, needing to know about the zoo. "Daddy, can Jimmy and I go to the zoo Saturday? It'll be free."

"No."

"Why not?"

He raised his hand, "I said no! Go to your room!"

She ran up to her room and slammed the door shut; she fell onto her bed in a dramatic way, crying loudly.

**********

"Hey, Half-Pint!" Jimmy walked into Linda's room, not bothering to knock first. He frowned when she looked at him with big, sad blue eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Daddy says we can't go to the zoo!"

"Why not?"

"Because he said so!"

Jimmy sighed and sat down next to his sister. "Did he have a bad day at the office?"

"Yes," she rubbed at her itchy eyes. "He called Mom a cow again."

"He shouldn't do that."

"No." She was quiet for a little bit, then looked at her brother desperately, "Jimmy, I really want to go to the zoo! We don't get to go every year, but this year, we can! And he won't let us!"

He thought for a second, "you remember my friend, Rodney?"

"Yes, he's nice. And funny."

"He's got an older brother- Lance. Lance takes me and Rodney around town all the time. Maybe I can ask Rodney if Lance could take us to the zoo?"

"Really?" Her sad eyes turned hopeful. "You'd do that?"

"You're my baby sister. I'd do anything for you."

Linda smiled and threw her arms around her brother. "You're the best!"

"You're the best." Now he really needed to shmooze Lance....

**********

Two days later, and things weren't looking up for little Linda. She wasn't going to be able to go to the zoo this year and see the baby elephant. She had been sulking ever since Tony had said no- her summer was officially ruined!

Jimmy, however, knew that his baby sister's summer was just about to start looking up. "Dad, have a minute?"

Tony always had time for Jimmy. "Sure thing, son. What's up?"

"Linda really wants to go to the zoo to see the baby elephants. I know you told her no, probably 'cause two kids in the middle of Manhattan probably isn't a good idea. But!.... I asked Rodney's older brother Lance if he could take us, and he said he would. Lance is twenty."

Tony nodded, "then you go. You need cash for food?"

"Yeah, actually."

"You just tell me how much you need, and I'll give it to you."

"Thanks, Dad." He smiled and walked out of the small office room. Linda was going to be so happy!

He walked outside, knowing she chose to read in the treehouse when she needed space. He stood at the trunk of the tree, "hey! Half Pint!"

Her half hearted voice came out, "yeah?"

"Get down here! I got a surprise for you!"

She marked her page and closed her book, then climbed down the later. "What is it?"

"Lance said he'd be fine with taking us and Rodney to the zoo."

"And Dad said...?"

"And Dad said yes."

She squealed and hugged her brother, laughing loudly when he picked her up and spun her in the air. Little did she know this close bond would start to fade away soon.

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