When I was younger this house teemed with life. Seems like there wasn’t a day went by that somebody wasn’t into something, somewhere, somehow. The younger ones, being you as they were and prone to certain ways, never did do as they were told. Especially George, he was the runt, always toddling around checking out anything he could stick his nose into, even if it wasn’t good for him. He fell on his face more times than I can count, especially when he could slip away from Mamma’s side so’s he could go off chasing butterflies out in our neighbor’s garden.

Our neighbor, Linda never did like me and Mamma being in her garden. She always used to say that we killed her flowers. To this day I don’t know how. We were only doing what comes natural to anyone in a flower bed.

I remember there was this one time George was out in her garden reaching for butterflies when he got lucky, or unlucky depend’n on your perception of the whole thing, and a wasp flew his way. He slapped it down to the ground and held it there for a good long time. His little face light up with pride, he had never caught anything that was faster than a butterfly before. I imagine that wasp wasn’t too fond of George’s affections for it and somehow the little creature worked his way around and stung him. He screamed bloody murder. Of course Mamma came funning and that’s how she found out about his sneaking around. If he hadn’t been hurt I’ll bet Mamma would have boxed his ears. As it was Linda had to take him to the doctor, cause you see Mamma can’t drive, she don’t’ know how.

Mamma was might worried. She told me that sometimes they don’t come back from the doctor, but she never did tell me why. Every time Linda has to take her, Mamma puts up such a fuss. Sometimes after the whole affair is over she won’t even be in the same room with Linda for days. I feel sorry for Linda every time it happens. I always give her a little extra attention, you know, following her into every room and being specially nice to her, like Mamma would if she weren’t busy being mad at her. Hell it’s not Linda’s fault, she’s only trying to help Mamma. And besides it doesn’t hurt to go to the doctor. Sometimes it stings a little and it’s uncomfortable but I know that somehow it’s good for me. I don’t mind so much.