by TJ Seitz
The Trailer and Kirkey’s Gnome Garden
We exited the highway in an area that looked like a farming community. There were fields of various crops surrounding us on all the roads Jackie had me driving on.
Eventually I was directed to a dirt road. After following it about for a mile or two we pulled into a driveway with a silver rickety looking early eighties era Ford pickup truck.
To the left of the car was a bashed up racing car frame with no tires and a makeshift pig pen with 3 or 4 medium sized pigs in it. An engine block of some sort was sitting on cinderblocks in front of the frame. Chickens were wandering all over the yard.
There was a rusted brown metal shed at the far end of the driveway and forty foot long white trailer with a set of Cuprinol green stained lumber steps leading up to a makeshift screen door.
I could hear a kid song playing really loud from a TV or stereo inside. Jackie told me, “This is my former brother in law’s place. I need to speak privately with him before leaving Louisiana.”
As soon as we got out of the car and started heading towards the trailer door a big Chow dog appeared out of nowhere and lunged at us. I immediately stopped in my tracks and slowly backed away a few steps then stood very still, not taking my eye off the dog, wondering if I was being attacked or if the dog was just telling me to go away.
The dog stood its ground and growled at Jackie and I. Jackie yelled, “BEAR STOP THAT! ARCHIE GET THE FUCK OUT HERE AND CALL YOUR DAMN DOG OFF!”
The dog stopped growling but remained in place and did not back down.
From behind the shed a shirtless guy with black hearing protection type ear muffs on poked his head out to see if someone was yelling for him. He probably did not hear the car or dog because of the muffs. After he sees what’s going on he yells, “SITZEN HUND!!!.”
The dog then ceased its stance and lay down at our feet.
I assumed that this person was Archie, the former brother in law. He recognized Jackie then looked and me and smiled, saying, “Good thing you didn’t move or the dog would have gone for your balls. I trained her to do that to anyone who approaches the house that doesn’t live here. I have to let her know it’s OK before she will relax. She’s a great guard dog.”
He then held his hand out to shake and said, “Sorry for not hearin you two. I ‘m tryin to fix an ole lawnmower for a neighbor in back.”
I shook his hand and introduced myself.
By now a woman and a little girl were standing at the top of the stairs. Jackie introduced them, “That’s Ronda, Archie’s old lady and Kirkey, Archie’s baby girl from a former marriage. She was named after the kind of stock car seat she was conceived on.”
Archie and Ronda appeared to be about Jackie’s and my age, early to mid-twenties. Kirkey looked no more than six or seven.
Archie was kind of short, standing five foot five at most and did not appear to have an ounce of fat on his body. He had brown eyes, an untrimmed mustache, short brown hair and a tattoo of a confederate flag on his left breast. His face looked like he had not shaved in over a week.
Grease and dirt were splattered randomly all over his body and jeans. He was wearing a well worn pair of leather Dickies work boots. His teeth were stained brownish. I think he had a wad of chewing tobacco in his cheek.
Ronda looked about the same height and weight as Archie. She was wearing a pair of generic red gym shorts, and a black Rod Stewart concert t-shirt with a couple of tears around the waist. She had a full chest and did not appear to be wearing a bra underneath the t-shirt. Her hair was straight auburn colored. It was bound in a pony tail that hung just below her shoulders. Her eyes were green; the tip of her small nose was kind of pointy looking. When she smiled you could see that one of her front teeth was broken in half.
She had gold studs in her pierced ears and was wearing a gold cross with a silver chain around her neck. She had scratches all over her arms and legs, probably from playing with the dog.
Kirkey was the epitome of a little girl her age. She had a curious look in her brown eyes and was all smiles. The top of her head was level with my hip. Her hair was brown long and frizzy like it had not seen a brush or comb in a while.
She was wearing a short sleeveless yellow dress with blue flowers that went down to just below her knees. Her bare feet were dirty and grass stained from walking around outside with no shoes.
Her toes and fingernails were sloppily painted with bright red nail polish that was chipped or peeling off in spots. There was a long strand brown cheap plastic beads hanging around her neck.
Jackie told Archie, “I don’t want to come across as rude but I’m actually not here for a social visit and can’t stay long. I just wanted to talk to you and Ronda about a few things before leaving the area.”
Archie listened and said, “I understand. Mom and Dad already called and told me about what happened a while ago. I figured you’d eventually show up and explain things more.”
Jackie replied, “When I dropped my baby boy off I only told them part of the story because I didn’t want to mess things up any worse than they already were.
Everyone bedsides those two think your brother is a complete ass. They just refuse to accept the fact that the sun does not rise and set on the guy. I’m done with his bullshit. He needs to be responsible for the choices he made. Others can’t keep bailing him out.
I figured if I left Alex with your parent’s he’d be forced by circumstances to step up to the plate and be a proper father. I don’t know though if he’s still in Colorado or gone back to Texas yet.
They’re also big time Christians. Our divorce was one thing. We were not married in a church so they could justify that. I was hoping he wouldn’t risk pissing them off by avoiding his parental obligations over drugs and pussy.
You at least know most of the truth behind Perry’s games and it’s easier to talk more openly with you about him than your parents. You will at least listen and won’t blame me for everything bad that happened.
Archie assured her, “Yup. I get where you’re comin from. We can all talk more privately inside.”
We all went up the stairs and into the trailer. I was asked to sit and wait for them in the living room with Kirkey while they talked in another room.
The dog was also brought inside and it sat attentively with Kirkey and me.
After the three of them went to a room, a den I suppose, on the other end of the trailer, Kirkey, who had not yet spoken, suddenly decided it was safe to talk. She was full of questions and comments.
Kirkey first asked me in her southern innocent little girl drawl, “How do you know my Auntie Jackie?”
I told her, “I actually just met her in the City yesterday. I’m trying to help her and am planning on driving her to Cincinnati tomorrow to be with her Grandmother for a while.”
She seemed satisfied with my answer then inquired, “Where’s my baby cutie cousin Alex?”
I smiled at her question and told her, “I think he’s somewhere in Texas with his grandparents.”
The girl then blurted out, “OH, with my Nanna and Poppy!”
The living room was small. Just big enough for a tan sofa with purple pillows, a black wooden sitting chair with a handmade kitty cat face seat cushion, a scratched and dented coffee table made of pine and a particle board TV stand across from the couch.
Nothing was new or very well cared for. All of the furniture looked like it was scavenged from the side of the road.
The brown shag carpet was worn, torn, stained and covered with patches of dog hair. A white sheet with several holes was nailed over the picture window behind the television. There was an unframed paint by numbers velvet painting of young Elvis hanging above the sitting chair. The white ceiling had several tan spots where it looks like the roof leaked at one time. The room smelled like wet dog and burnt toast.
A number of dolls and toys
were scattered on the floor and furniture. Some of the dolls appeared to have been given personalized haircuts and magic marker makeup jobs. Others had chew marks from the dog.
The thirteen inch color TV with rabbit ears was still turned on the local PBS station with the volume down low.
While I sat quietly and looked around the room, Kirkey got down on the floor. She started, touching the dog’s ears, talking to and reassuring it, “Mr. TJ is nice Bear. Don’t worry. He’s going to bring Aunt Jackie back home to her Grandma’s.”
She then looked up at me after a few seconds and insisted, “Bear wants you to pet her. It’s OK. She told me that she won’t bite you. She’s really a good doggie.”
I reluctantly stroked the dog on the head. Kirkey was right. It did not seem as aggressive as before and more at ease with me. I felt a little less nervous but still did not trust it.
To me dogs can be used as weapons by their owners like a gun or knife when trained accordingly. I’ve seen dogs, like pit bulls, tear things to shreds or lock their jaws on stuff upon command. I’m very leery when people have dogs like that living with their families as pets because one never knows when or if it will snap and attack someone.
Kirkey then kissed and hugged the dog and rubbed its stomach. The dog began wagging its tail from the attention.
Kirkey then giggled and mentioned, “The fairies don’t like Bear very much because she poops and pees on all their houses.”
Kirkey then got up and started looking for something in the room. She found an old handbag by the side of the sofa. She then opened it up and pulled out a thin red and white lace bracelet with a tiny Velcro clap. She walked up to and instructed me, “Hold out your right wrist.”
I complied and she gently fastened the charm to me.
Kirkey went on to tell me a story about how she got the bracelet.
She smiled and a look of wonder quickly came across her face as she whispered to me, “In the field behind our trailer there’s an enchantered forest. At the edge of those woods there’s a teeny tiny gnome garden. That’s where all the gnomes and fairies live.
Sometimes I sneak there, after lunch, when my Dad’s not home and Mamma Ronda falls asleep in the recliner while I’m watching Sesame Street or Barney.
I’m supposed to be takin a nap. Naps are for babies. I’m not a baby anymore and not tired like that.
There are lot lots of pretty flowers and plants in the field. I like to pick them and catch butterflies. Sometimes I smash them all together and make potions then feed them to the pigs to see if anything happens. HeeHee. That’s more fun than takin a nap.
If I get bored of collecting pedals and leaves I sometimes hide behind the rock pile near the gnome village and watch the fairies dance with each other while the gnomes make magic pixie dust.
One day when I was sneaky peekin spyin on everyone, I heard a little gnome voice cryin near me. I looked around and found him next to a rottin log. I saw that his foot was hurt because his shoe was off and he was rubbing it.
I wanted to help him so I just ran home and got some little band aids and peroxide from our bathroom then ran back to see if I could make him feel better.
He was scared of me at first but so grateful after I poured peroxide on his boo boo and wrapped it with a band aid.
The poor little guy squinted his eyes and cried outchie ooo ahh! While I cleaned the hurt up. He was so happy when I finished and put the band aid on. He could walk and jump better again.
Before turning invisible he kissed me on the check and thanked me for helping him. He told me that his name was David and that he was my friend for life.
The next time I saw David he appeared in my bedroom while I was playing with my Barbies. He said that he had a present for me because I was so nice to him.
He then disappeared and showed back up a few minutes later with a decorated sack almost as big as he was. David opened the bag. I could see all sorts of magic things in it that he made. After taking a quick peep from the outside to make sure nothing was in the way he jumped in and started looking for something I’d like. He decided to give me a beautiful bracelet to wear and put it on my wrist.
It felt warm and smelled like cotton candy.
David told me that the bracelet will bring good luck to the owner. It helps keep bad things from happening to them. He also said that if you keep it long enough the magic will be sucked up into your body and protect you for the rest of your life even when the band is gone.
David gave me lots of magic things when we played. I sometimes share them with people I like. I want to give this to you because you talk funny and sound like a comedian. Aunt Jackie also needs to go to her Grandma’s house and magic will help make that happen.“
I smiled and said, “Thank you Kirkey. I can’t help the way I talk. My accent sounds funny to you because I’m not from around here.”
She asked, “Where are you from then?”
I answered, “Rochester, New York. It’s many miles north of here by Canada.”
She thought a second or two then blurted out, “Oh so you’re a Yankee! Hee Hee.”
I kept the bracelet for over twenty years. It hung from the rearview mirrors of all my cars. I wondered at times if its magic saved me during a very bad car accident I had several years later. The car was totaled but I walked away with only a few bumps and bruises.
I lost it when I forgot to take it out of a mini-van I traded in a year ago for a newer car.
I was a little upset when I remembered that I forgot to take it out of the car. It had become very worn and faded and might have actually fallen apart if I tried to move it again to another car. I hope what Kirkey said was true and that its magic soaked into my soul years ago.
She then looked at Bear again and started acting sad. She started talking with a sad pout at him, “Bear scared them all way a little while ago. Fairies smell like peanut butter and Bear REALLY likes peanut butter.
The dog saw me sneak out one last week and I forgot to latch the door behind me. I didn’t notice him follow me out of the house.
While I was watching the fairies dance Bear smelled them and came running all crazy after them. All the fairies and gnomes were scared to death and ran away or turned invisible.
All Bear wanted to do was sniff and lick them but they did not know that.
It made me cry.
Bear said she was sorry to me but I’m not sure if she really meant it but I still forgave her. I hope they will all come back soon to play and tell me some more stories but I don’t know. Bear might try to catch them again. That’s not good.”
After listening to Kirkey for thirty five minutes or so Jackie and the two others came out of the back room. Jackie looked like she had been crying and hugged everyone goodbye. Jackie told me, “It’s time for us to go. I made my peace with everyone here.”
Kirkey looked confused and told Jackie, “Everything will be OK, “as she hugged her goodbye.
Kirkey also hugged me goodbye and told me, “Please make sure her Aunt Jackie gets to her Grandma’s house. Take care of the bracelet. Magic is as precious as gold or love. You will need both someday.”
I thought very wise words from such a little girl and wondered if she thought of them herself or was just parroting something someone else told her.
Jackie and I got into the car and started driving back towards the highway. She was unusually quiet and did not say anything for a while. I guess she was thinking about stuff or her conversation with Archie and Ronda.
Ten minutes later, when we were back within the City limits Jackie blurts out, “So do you wanna go get some good crawfish for dinner?”
I said, “Sure, I’m getting hungry.”
She told me, “Turn off at the next exit ramp. We need to get moving quickly because they’ll be closing shop soon.”
