Page 54 of The Sky in Summer
“You guys have dirty minds. They were little cups of packaged peaches.”
Hey, that was a good save.
“That ain’t it,” David winces, making Tyler burst out laughing.
“Ignore the idiots,” Layla says. “What game are we going to play?”
“I think it’s Who The Hell IsThat?”
Now I have their attention.
“Sounds promising,” David says. “What do we need to know?”
We merge onto the freeway, and I instruct the class.
“Okay. It’s a game of bullshit. Everyone gets a picture of someone they don’t know. An eight by ten headshot or full body.”
“I’m intrigued,” Layla says.
“Whoever is hosting is the judge, and they have chosen the pictures. Tonight, it’s Scarlett and Parish. Behind every photo they have written the actual name and profession of the person. You make up a fake name. And then decide if you are going to tell the truth about their story or make up an identity.”
“What?” Tyler says. “I don’t get it.”
“In other words, will you be able to fool more people with the truth of their life, or with the story you fabricate.”
“Who wins? And why?”
“Where are the pictures from?”
“Okay, listen. You guys can go last. Just watch and learn.”
“This sounds so fun!” Layla says. “Are all the pictures of people from our era?”
“No! It can be from any source. That’s what makes it funny, because it can’t be anyone so famous we would know. It’s much easier since the internet. Now we have unlimited people to choose from.”
“Give us a few tips how to win,” David says.
“Whether you are telling the truth, or lying, speak with authority. That’s tip number one. The more confident you are in your story, the better. Keep it short. The more you talk, the more chance someone will pick your story apart, or more likely hear you flailing. You are trying to fool the other players. Okay. Pretend it’s my turn…First you hold the picture up in front of you and show everyone at the table. They all are going to yell, ‘Who the hell isthat?’
All three like the sound of that and laugh.
“Doesn’t have to be long. It can be two sentences if you want. Remember short is better. You give a made-up name and a profession. And if you want, a reason for your opinion. Anyway, so I would say, ‘this woman is Patty Pearl. She is an overworked school teacher and can’t wait to retire. I see it in her tired eyes.’”
“But who wins?”
“The one who fools the most people.”
“I’m gonna win,” David says.
“Not if I do,” Tyler adds.
“They are both very creative,” the proud mother says.
Parish, Sam, and Scarlett’s warm single-story home on two acres reflects their happy life. It sits tucked at the base of the mountain range. Out front is a large Oak tree and the swing that has been there since they purchased the house. The porch was what sold my sister, I am sure. Scarlett was always dreaming about it in her fantasy games as a kid. She would line up her dolls on little doll furniture, pretending they were on a porch, and serve them tea.
The interior tells a story about all three occupants. Sam’s sport trophies and his drawings are on display. Scarlett’s love of photography and travel shows up in large unframed photographs on the walls of the family room. Parish’s many novels line two bookshelves in a corner where his desk sits under a wide window.
I always thought a writer needed seclusion. Not him. He told me he likes to be with the family while he writes. It’s the right call, as evidenced by his success. I think being isolated in Maine for so many years after his child’s death shaped him in many ways. But I see none of the awards or great reviews he has garnered. He is not the kind of man to toot his own horn. I’d bet displaying anything at all was Scarlett’s idea. Or Sam’s. He and Parish have an unusually close bond. Even though I have never heard Sam call him Dad, they love each other. Kristen and her husband would be so happy to know their child was being cared for and protected by such a good man. I want to believe they do.
