Another life to live

An interview about family~(Prologue Pt.2)

In the early morning, at a Starbucks in New York , a young girl and a man meet. The man has a folder in front of him. The girl has a some papers and photos with her. She has an iced latte with her, the man has none. There is a small recorder in the middle of the table.

Recording start:

So, what was this interview about again? Right, right, family diversity and a basic rundown of my life. Ok thanks. Um.... where should I start? Uh..... Oh! My name! Right... *ahem* my name is Evelyn Alexandria Hamilton..... sound familiar, right? Well that's because I'm apparently related to THE Alexander Hamilton. Yep, the one and the same.... well it's not something to gloat about really, I mean, sure he's famous but you don't hear people calling out that they are related to somebody who died over two hundred years ago, do you? I actually have some of his belongings and letters up in my attic. I've read through some of them, some I.... want to burn out of my brain with bleach but others are really interesting, he really does write like he's running out of time yet somehow, they make sense to me.... I don't know how I just, do? I've got a small blog where I translate some of the letters and post it. A whopping twenty people are following it. I wouldn't call myself outgoing, more like introverted, reserved, quiet, shy, etc. But I can be loud when I have to.

Anyway, um... My family was pretty mixed up, you see... My dad came from here, New York but my mother was from Rio de Janeiro and could only speak Spanish. They met when my dad was on a job transfer, he was an animal cruelty officer. Anyway, they met, hit it off, she moved in with him and a year after they got married they had me! After about four to five years he got transferred to Montreal, Canada and I had to learn another language; French. When I was six it was found that my mother had developed a tumour in her liver that was cancerous. She died when I was ten. Her body was taken back to Rio and me and my father moved back into the house he grew up in. My great grandfather had built it but it has had some work done on it recently.

I've lived in the suburbs of New York for most of my life with my dad. I love going to broadway and visiting all the historical sites around the city. Hey, did you know that George Washington has had several places named after him like Washington Heights and.... no, I shouldn't ramble. Anyway umm.... I'm sorry, I don't know if I can talk about my dad after I turned seventeen... no, no, it-it's okay. Anyway, when I was seventeen me and my father were walking downtown, at night, in the dark when three men appeared in front of us and.... one of them.....*sniff* they had a gun.... he.... *cough, cough* *sinff* I'm sorry, I'm sorry *sinff* do-do you have a tissue or...? Thank you.... ah, moving on... no I'm fine, better at least.

I've always been told that I'm smart, I don't think so, I'm better at history than I am with my maths. Heh.. Anyway, it was because of these grades that I got an early acceptance into college. Guess which college.... Kings college, how ironic right?! That was where my ancestor went for his college years! I went in for a major in theatre and animation. Three years of that and I gladly have a degree in animation and an acting certificate. I now am a up to hire storyboard artist that takes on whatever job I'm offered. It's nice, I get to work at home and do what I love the most, art! I have acted before but it was only a small role in a play. It was the play 'Into the Woods' I played Cinderella.... oh please, it was only one time. I actually worked on the storyboard for one of my favourite plays "Le Miserable"..... yes, yes, I know, irony. They strayed far from what I drew but they were still close to the ideas I left on the table. I did the storyboard for the songs 'On my own' and 'Fall of rain'. It was fun, I got to work with celebrities! It was amazing! I have no regrets working there.

Um... more about me? Well..... let's see.... I have three pets. A Husky/German Shepherd mix puppy named Brownie because of the fact he ate an eighth of a pan of brownies on his first day at our house, a Bombay kitten with a small white spot on her side and mismatched eyes that I just recently received I dubbed Lucy, and a ferret named Farley...... ummmmm...I'm a part time ghost writer. Weeellllllllll.... I need money somehow, I mean, I worked part time as a barista while I was in school so what do you expect? Moving on please?.... hobbies? I love to bake and cook. Cliché, I know. Um... I can sing? Well I've been told I can. I love writing stories, that's a given, I mean.. descendent of Alexander Hamilton? Well, I can't really write about real life, I tried to keep a diary but ended up writing fantasy stories in it. What else... I can figure skate?.. Yeah, while I lived in Montreal we went skating as a family, I happened to grow a love for it so my mom signed me up for classes. I performed before in contests but not that many to get my name known. Yeah, I prefer to be alone. 

I happen to have a few health issues... nothing serious! Just some scars on my legs.... I had found a way onto the roof of my house at the time and fell off, some shingles fell on to me after I hit the ground. Broke both legs, at the tibia. It needed some surgery but I came out fine. I just needed crutches for a year or so. They have many scars but they don't bother me much, except when I go swimming people stare. I don't mind though. I mean, it's not like I have crippling anxiety....... just.. mild anxiety... I also have a tendency to run into things. Poles, signs, branches, doors, you name it, I've probably hit it full force in the face. It's why I don't walk with my head down anymore.

Siblings? Um no, I have plenty of cousins but no brothers or sisters. Albeit, my cousins are pretty out there and they act like siblings but not really. They're from my Dads side of the family, he had two sisters but we rarely visit because they live in Canada and we live down here. I don't know much about my moms family, I know they were mostly from the Caribbean and Brazil. Because of that she had a ton of friends in the immigrant community, they treat us like family so I guess there's some kind of family over there.... Yeah.... Oh, I never told you my age! Shoot! Sorry, sorry, sorry, I'm sorry! I'm twenty-three, sorry.... no it's ok, I ramble on sometimes and forget if I say something or not.... birthday? Um... April eighteenth.... yes, I was born here. Is that all?..... Two more questions? Ok, shoot.

How I feel about living with other people? Well.... I guess it would be okay? I much prefer to be alone but I'm kinda scared of being alone too. Contradictory, right? I like my privacy but I hate being alone too..... well I have a boyfriend for your information....he's nice, he really loves theatrical performances and is very much a singer, right now he's living in New Jersey..... We met in college. He has the same love for musicals and acting as I do. We were actually in the same majors for school! We don't talk much but we do chat on different social media sites.... he creates these things called vines? (Not exactly Thomas Sanders but close) his name? Tyler Quincell. Anyway, I would have roommates if I felt like I could. Last question please? I have to get back home and get ready, I have an audition for a musical that is going on broadway tomorrow and I need to rehearse. My car broke down and I'm not driving my dad's camper van through New York traffic.

How do I feel about my ancestor?..... well.. I like him, he's a great man but... he set such a high legacy to live up to I...

It's hard sometimes. I'll tell you that. To live up to those standards, it makes me feel suffocated, like I'm drowning in expectations that I can't live up to. But I hope I can with this musical, I can live up to his legacy. I want to protect our family name and tell his story my own way. I guess I understand how Aaron Burr felt, trying to live up to standards that feel impossible to live, doing anything and everything you can to make yourself known, waiting for the right time? It's hard. It makes you feel small, worthless even. I have a long fuse on my temper but most people take advantage of my good nature..... one thing I'm proud of doing is volunteering at the orphanage his wife established. Seeing kids grow up in something that your family created... it's not pride, it's joy. The joy of knowing that someone you are related to made such a difference for so many children. It always makes me tear up when I think about it.

 I don't feel any spite for my ancestors, I feel glad that they did so much in so little time. Alexander Hamilton came to New York with nothing and died after he fought in a war, created our financial system, and served in congress. I want to do all I can to serve his memory.

Is that all?....... no, thank you for your time. It's nice to talk about these things once and a while. Anyway I have to get going. Oh! I almost forgot, um, what was your name again?.... Michael... simple, nice! It's a great name. And I love your pocket watch, was it custom made?... Well, give your father my praises, it's a beautiful work of art.

Recording end

A young woman leaves the Starbucks and makes her way to the subway, a young man walks out and disappears without a trace, a small white feather is found on the last place he stepped.

Edit: I just changed a few parts of the introduction to Evelyn, just because they really got to me and felt forced. Thanks

~Breezy