A day at the Zoo

Nan eased the covers away from her body and looked at her infected hands. It had been three days now. Things didn’t look any better.

Susan came into the room with one eye open while rubbing the other. It was 7 am.

“Need any help mom?”

Susan was 12 years old now and the champion of the Lightbourne ‘Zoo’. She was a pleasant child; the kind that remembers even the worst of things fondly.

Out of Nan’s three children, Susan was the one to seek out mother and assist her during this unusual time.

Nan was a recently retired school teacher. She now worked from home while schooling her three younger children. It had been a roller coaster of a year; full of many unexpected events.

Nan was never very good at handling stress. After the death of her husband, in the typhoon, her eczema outbreaks had intensified. The red itchy patches had spread across both her hands like wildfire.

On Wednesday Nan made a forced trip to the doctor. The diagnosis was not good. She had rubbed the red itchy patches so violently that they had become infected with double strains of bacteria. The doctor wrote the necessary prescriptions but he shook his head as he did so. Nan could read the judgment across his brows. How does a grown woman of 45 not know how to control her own life?

It was now Saturday. Nan welcomed Susan’s help. Together they fixed the bed, picked out the day’s clothing and even settled Nan into a warm bath. If only this were the routine she had to look forward to everyday; instead of the animal theatrics.

Not so at all.

A door slammed and feet stomped down the hall toward Nan’s room. Nan took a deep breathe. She had just gotten her clothes on and was about to get some tea. Not to be.

“I’m hungry. What’s for breakfast?” John stood in the doorway. His clothes were mismatched, and dirty. His hair was a crumpled mess and the remnants of something stuck crustily to the corner of his mouth.

Nan sat on the bed gingerly and looked at her hands. She had applied the cream so they were soothed but still red and splotchy.

“Have you completed your morning routine John?”

“Yes I did. That’s why am hungry.” The boy said a bit agitated

Without looking up Nan asked. “Did you wash your face? Are your clothes clean? Is your bed made?”

“I did all those things. Would I have come if I hadn’t? What about Susan? Did you ask her if she made her bed, or bathed…you’re so unfair?

“…and you’re so stupid, and dirty and smelly.” It was Shalomi. She uttered these words as she walked past them and into the bathroom. She didn’t even cast a glance. The bathroom door shut…hard.

“See what I mean! Everyone in this family picks on me and you don’t do anything about it.” John shouted at Nan and turned to run off with tears in his eyes.

“That’s not fair John. You always do this.” Susan said after him. She had been sitting quietly in the room with Nan.

John’s feet could be heard stomping towards the kitchen and out the back door. He could soon be heard swinging a makeshift wooden bat; it was the pole from the old mop head. John was 14 now. He had enjoyed a gratifying three seasons of little league baseball at the community park with the legends Team back in their home town. He played first base and left field and was just introduced to the pitching mound when life had just seemed to go to hell. It was a year ago now since the Typhoon took his father and destroyed their home. John was still mad at God and asking why.

“Mom, you need to be harder on those twins. You’re too soft on them.” Susan said to Nan. She was clearly upset. This wasn’t the first time.

Shalomi opened the bathroom door with great theatrics that could be heard throughout the house. She soon appeared in Nan’s doorway.

“What’s for breakfast?” there was a mix of annoyance and frustration both on her face and in her voice.

She starred at Nan?

“Have you made your bed dear?” Nan asked cautiously.

“How am I supposed to make my bed on an empty stomach? I am starving.” Shalomi said with urgency.

“Then I suggest you make your bed quickly.” Nan said.

Shalomi stared at Nan for another five seconds with fire in her eyes. Then she turned abruptly and left.

It was more than a year now but Shalomi was not the kind to discuss her grievances…ever. She was still upset and there was no way for her to translate that. She didn’t get the chance to say goodbye. She was mad with him the last time she saw him. She felt that the universe was a cruel place to take away her dad like that.

“You need to punish them mom. They are so rude.” Susan said again.

“I know honey. But I need to understand their frustration also.” Nan said getting up from the bed now.

“Where are you going?” Susan jumped up as Nan stood.

“Am headed to the kitchen to make breakfast.”

“Mom, you can’t. Not with your hands still looking like that. I’ll do it.”

“Again? Honey, you have been making the meals for the last three days. I appreciate it but…”

“No no no! You just get the rest you need. I’m going to do the breakfast and am going to deal with those rude twins too.”

Susan ran out of the room before Nan could say another word.

Nan looked down at her hands. The cream was spread about on her hands in sections. It was still very painful in those areas. Tears welled up in her eyes. She was making ends meet but it wasn’t enough. The recent lockdown meant she couldn’t find work yet. They had to move to a new city to take advantage of family members there that could help support them intermittently. Nan had a great idea for an eBay store but she still needed to collect a few more insurance cheques. It seemed life was in limbo and the exit was not yet in sight.

The loud clashing sound brought Nan out of her stance. She rushed to the kitchen.

John, Shalomi and Susan stood staring at a shattered white dish on the floor.

“You’re so stupid! Why were you even born?” Shalomi shouted at her twin brother.

“Stop saying that.” John clutched his head with his hands. He was about to run off again.

“Stop it! Both of you!” Susan shouted at them.

“what happened?” Nan asked them all.

“It’s his fault. He is so retarded.” Shalomi pointed her finger at John.

“I was just trying to help.” John tried to defend himself.

“You shouldn’t be in the kitchen. You’re filthy.” Shalomi shouted again.

John was in tears. “I was just…”

“That’s enough Shalomi! Leave him alone. Did you comb your hair today?” Susan asked also raising her voice.

“That’s enough.” Nan said. But no one heard her. The animal theatrics went around again; the zoo was in full session.

“I said SHUT THE HELL UP!” Nan shouted now above all the voices.

Everyone stopped and looked at mother.

There was stillness and shock on their faces.

“That’s it! I have had enough. I can’t take anymore and neither can my hands. We are settling the matter…the real matter today! GOT THAT?”

Everyone nodded. No one moved. The curtains seemed to have closed on the theatrics and everyone knew it.