My Friend Lou

[Birdee]

“How was school today, Birdee?” The soothing voice of her mother asked her after Birdee came home and took off her tennis shoes, her backpack and finally, her coat. Her arms wrapped around the thighs of her mother, before Birdee snuggled into her mother's side.

“Good mommy.” Birdee jumped around in place, still holding her mother's leg. “I made a new friend today.” Birdee beamed up at her mother as the woman plucked up the backpack and started going through Birdee's 'go-home' folder. “Did you? Tell me about her.” The woman gently unwrapped her daughter from around her leg before she moved towards the kitchen table where their homework routine would begin.

Birdee erupted into a fit of laughter as she shook her head, the double braids flicking left and right as the girl followed after her mother. “It's not a girl mommy.” Birdee chattered on as she started talking about her new friend. “Girl's can't be a Lou. Girl's have names like Birdee or Sara or Lilly.” Birdee sat at the table that her mother pulled out for her as the woman, half-hardheartedly listened to her daughter. “That's nice, honey. He sounds wonderful.”

The math homework was put on the table before her mother occupied the seat to the left of Birdee. “Patterns. That sounds fun.” Her mother said as she looked over the homework and then started helping Birdee with it, like all the school nights before this one.

“Overall, she's a really bright girl and very sweet.” Birdee listened to her teacher say as she sat beside her mother at the conference. “She's very good with math. Her spatial reasoning is quite frankly, amazing for a girl her age.” A hand came to stroke the kinks in Birdee's hair as her mother smiled at her, very pleased with everything her teacher, Mrs. Sietler was saying about Birdee.

“What about her socialization? I worry she acts out in school, as it's just us. Does she talk a lot in school?” Her mother asked, leaning forward, while she continued on. “She's a chatter box when she gets home. Always talking about her friends and the games they play on the playground.”

“She's a typical first grader in that respect. She has her few friends that she prefers to play with. But-” Mrs. Sietler said as her eyes fell on Birdee, then looked at her mother, slightly apprehensive. “Birdee, why don't you go play over there? With the flash cards?” Her mother pointed to a small semi-circular table, as she assisted with pulling out Birdee's chair. “Okay, mommy.” Birdee slid off the chair and moved over to the flash cards and started pulling them out of the box.

“Where does Lou sit?” Her mother asked as she looked at the desks, not seeing that name anywhere. “Is he in Mrs. Fischer's class?” She smiled at the teacher, positive that was the case. “Our class doesn't have a Lou. Or Mrs. Fischer's. Or anyone for that matter.” Mrs. Sietler said slowly, before she shifted her body slightly, so it faced away from the direction that Birdee was in. “Is there something going on at home maybe?” Her mother shook her head and then spoke, “No. What's this about?” Her tone was slightly sharp as she turned to face the teacher completely.

“Well, it's just that by now, kids her age don't have imaginary friends...” The teacher trailed off before she stood and opened a cabinet drawer and pulled out a folder. “One day, Lou showed up and that's almost all she talks about. Or all she draws in her family pictures. Look here.” Her teacher pulled out paper that had phonetic spellings of words on it, all with a stick Birdee holding a stick 'Lou's' hand. Or just images of Birdee, her mom and Lou on different colored construction paper. “I thought at first maybe you were having a baby and that was his name...are you?” The teacher didn't want to assume anything, but she certainly looked really good for someone that might be pregnant.

“No. I'm not.” Her mother picked up the papers and started looking them over. “I thought that he was a kid that went here. She says they play on the playground all the time. He's a good runner, but sometimes he lets her catch him. That sometimes she reads her books to him. He sounded so....real.” Her mother put the papers down and looked at where her daughter was. “I'll talk to her. I'm sure it's just harmless, but nothing has changed at home. We've not moved. I work the same job and the same hours...” Her mother smiled at the teacher. “I'll see what is going on with her. I'm sure it's nothing.” She stood and then thanked the teacher for her time. “There won't be any further talk about Lou in school.” Her mother grabbed her purse, moved to Birdee and helped her clean up the cards before putting them on top the pile of flash cards. “Have a great weekend Mrs. Sietler.” And that was the last day Birdee mentioned Lou in school.

[Birdee]

"But why, momma? Lou is my friend." Birdee huffed like any sullen kindergartner. Her lower lip puffed out, arms crossed at her chest, and chin held high in a form of defiance towards the superior being in the room; known as her mother. “Because Birdee--sometimes being different ain't a good thing." Her mother replied after a deep, thoughtful sigh. "You said being different was okay. You said different isn't funny. You said it momma. At the store that one day. You diiiiiiid." Birdee nodded her head ferociously as her arms dropped to her sides. “I know Birdee, but this is different. Now I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave Lou at home when you go to school. He can keep Wiggles company during the day so Wiggles doesn't get lonely.” Her mother's eyes looked at the feline that Birdee had renamed at the shelter a few months ago after picking him out.

"But he's a kid and kids have to go to school. You said so-" Birdee was cut off by a sharp slamming of a catalog her mother got in the mail earlier in the day. “Birdee. Enough.” Her mother stood up from the couch. “I mean it. Lou stays home. He does not go to school.” This ultimatum caused Birdee's lower lip to tremble before a flurry of tear poured down her cheeks. "But he's my friend!" Birdee stomped her foot once, frustrated with the outcome of the situation before he looked towards the open space in the kitchen and told it to 'come on,' before she disappeared into her room.

“Birdee, is Lou still here?" Her mother cautiously approached the young girl who was coloring at the dining room table. "Yes, momma. He's right there." Birdee pointed after rocking her head back and forth, allowing her pig tails to 'dance' with her head as Birdee hummed a song she learned in school earlier in the week. “Birdee, how old is your friend Lou?” Her mother asked, slightly apprehensive of the answer, believing that maybe Birdee possessed the ability her mother had while still alive. The ability to mingle with the dead, and in return the dead could mingle with people like Birdee's grandmother Louisa, or her great-great aunt Cecily. "I don't know. Not very, momma." Birdee said as she grabbed for a blue crayon and started coloring Strawberry Shortcake's shoe that very color.

“Birdee, does Lou talk to you? Tell you things, maybe?” She sat down in the chair by Birdee, but not in the chair Lou was in. "No, momma. He always just listens. I think he wants to go to school again, momma. Can he go? I think he misses me when I go." Birdee put down the crayon and looked at her mother with hopeful eyes. “No, Birdee. I'm sorry.” Her mother grabbed Birdee's once occupied hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Birdee-I...we need to talk about some things.” The hand was released as her mother stood up and smiled down at the girl. “But first...What would you like for dinner? I'll make you whatever you like.” the chair was pushed to the table as her mother waited for Birdee's answer. "Macaroni and cheese, fish sticks and gummy bears. The fish sticks at school are gross. I don't like them. I like ours." Birdee made a face after shaking her head, her pig tails once again coming to life. "Don't forget about Lou." Birdee called after her mother who disappeared into the kitchen, thankful for the break before the 'conversation' was to be given.

[Birdee]

“Birdee, do you remember grandma Louisa?" Her mother asked after dishing up both their plates of food before grabbing Lou's plate. "Is she the one with the glasses, or the one that smelled like a baby's butt?" Birdee asked as she waited patiently for Lou to be given his plate of food. “Birdee!" Her mother scolded her as the plate was set down in front of Lou's spot. None of the food was ever eaten, and in fact, unknown to Birdee, her mother's portions seemed smaller than they were a couple months ago since Lou arrived in Birdee's life. His portions became her mother's portions when she was positive Birdee wasn't looking, or had excused herself from the table to go play. “The one that smelled like baby powder. Not like a baby butt, Birdee." Her mother corrected her after sitting down next to Birdee. Birdee just nodded her head as she started gobbling up her macaroni and cheese.

“Birdee, before she went to heaven, your grandmother Louisa saw people all the time. All kinds. Men, women, kids....and they told her things. Sometimes asked her things. Are you sure Lou's never told you anything? Or asked you anything? Take your time to think, Birdee." Her mother worked on eating her plate of food while she allowed Birdee to take all the time she needed to answer the question honestly. After a few minutes, Birdee just shook her head. “Alright. Well, if he does, you tell me right away. Okay?" Her mother spoke between her own bites of food. "Alright, momma."

After some seconds of silence, her mother decided to take a different avenue. “Birdee, honey. Has anyone else come to play with you? Maybe a little girl? Or another little boy?" "No, momma. Just Lou." Birdee said after taking a giant bite of fish stick and showing it off proudly. “If other kids come around Birdee, just let me know." "I will, but I don't want any other kids coming around, momma. I just like Lou. Can we play married after dinner? I'm going to marry Lou. He's my best friend." Birdee started kicking her feet under the table, waiting for her mother's reply. “Not tonight, honey. I need to tell you some more things. About your grandmother and some other ladies in our family. And your great, great, great, really great uncle. After that, you can play married if it's not too late." Her mother promised as she finished her own dinner and stood up to gather the much awaited gummy bears.

[Birdee]

"They could do ALL that?" Birdee asked in obvious disbelief. “They could. As far as I know it's all true. I even saw some of it first hand with my own eyes. Your grandmother,--sweet as she was, could be real mean after talking with those that hadn't gone to heaven yet." What her mother left out was that more times than not, the dead were confused and sometimes down right pissed off. "And your great aunt, well she had a knack at looking at hands and predicting the future based off what she saw on your hands. She read mine and so far, everything she's said is true." Birdee's mother nodded her head before she moved to the bathroom to get Birdee her toothbrush.

"What can you do, momma? What's my power?" Birdee asked as she jumped up and down on the couch with both her knees. "Can I fly? NO! I want to be able to run really, really, really fast. Can I, momma? Run super fast?" Birdee reached out for the toothbrush that was coming her way, compliments of her mother. "Baby, I don't know what you can do...but I think you're a lot like your grandmother.

Birdee stopped brushing her teeth and glanced over to where Lou was on the couch in the corner. "But momma, Lou's not dead." Birdee said before brushing her teeth once again. Her mother opted to change the topic and shift any and all conversations about Birdee's 'powers' to herself. "Well I can do things too, Birdee. My super power is seeing colors." Her mother made an exuberant hand motion with both her hands, trying to sell Birdee on it. "Momma, I see colors all the time at school. Everyone can. That's not a special power." Birdee groaned before skipping off to the bathroom to spit. "No, Birdee. People have colors. Maybe I'll be able to teach you when you're older. If that's your power. She laughed before taking the toothbrush from Birdee and rinsing it out in the sink.

Birdee galloped off to her room, followed by her mother. "Birdee. Where does Lou sleep?" Her mother asked as she noticed a random explosion of toys in her daughter's room. "I don't know, momma. I don't think he ever gets tired. Maybe that's his super power!" Birdee laughed after diving under her pile of blankets on the bed. "Birdee, honey. Not everyone has powers. And that's okay. But we should keep our super powers to ourselves. Sometimes, people get jealous and mean about them." Her mother pressed a kiss to her forehead before she moved to the light switch. "You can play marriage tomorrow, if you want. After school. But no more about powers. We'll worry about that all later." The woman offered before she turned off the light and closed the door and hopefully, conversation about powers off for now.