A Sunday Chat with Caley
“So how are things going with you and Dennis?” I ask Caley. We’re sitting by the lake, seeing if there is any sign of the squid. I remember Dennis falling into the lake his first year and since Caley hasn’t said much about him lately, I thought I would bring him up.
“Not good,” she admits, stopping from scribbling in the notebook balanced on her lap. She is always coming up with lyrics now. Today, she came over with her guitar to play a few songs she is writing and to show me how her music is coming. She is learning a lot and I can tell she is practicing. As a writer, I almost always have ink stains on my hands. As a guitar player, I can tell her fingers are growing tough. They have to be to hold down guitar strings.
“Why? What’s wrong?” I ask.
She sighs. “He doesn’t have a job yet, neither do I. I think we are both frustrated. We haven’t seen each other lately though and I know he’s been moody.”
“You’ve had your moments too,” I remind her.
“I know,” she sighs, closing her book and flopping back on the grass. “I want to do something with music, but what? I mean maybe I could do something with Quidditch, like at the Ministry or something. I’m not horrid.” I can tell her heart isn’t in it though.
“Maybe you are looking too much at the magical world,” I say after a minute.
“What?” she asks, confused.
“Well, you could look at the muggle world. Maybe go to college or university or find a job out there with music. You are half muggle and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.” I don’t add that not everyone would agree, but I am happy being a part of both worlds, even if it can sometimes be confusing with contradicting thoughts. Overall though, I think I have managed a decent balance.
She nods, slowly, thinking this over. “Like how you are a witch, but you want to play muggle football?”
I smile. “Exactly,” I tell her, lying out next to her. “And no matter what, next year, I will be at tryouts.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” I tell her. She is the second person I have said that to aloud. Julia was the first, since she berated me for not trying out this year. We agreed that the two of us would go together. We can practice together and then give moral support. I get butterflies just thinking about it.
She nods, looking up at the sky. “I suppose I could look at my options in the muggle world. It can’t hurt.”
“And give Dennis some time. Remember, he got thrown into the world of magic and we were raised in both worlds. He’s also trying to find out what he likes, isn’t that what you told me?”
“Yes. It is just hard. I want him to be happy, but he just seems too miserable.”
“Have you talked to him about this?”
“A little,” she answers, but she says it in a way that I doubt they have spoken about it more than once.
“You’ll both work it out,” I assure her. “Talk to him. At the best, you can work things out and at the worst, you are back here again.” I know break ups are hard and I wonder if that will happen with Dennis and Caley. No matter what, I want what is best for my sister.
She nods and we are silent again, both lost in our thoughts, watching the sky, feeling the sunshine on our faces.
“Not good,” she admits, stopping from scribbling in the notebook balanced on her lap. She is always coming up with lyrics now. Today, she came over with her guitar to play a few songs she is writing and to show me how her music is coming. She is learning a lot and I can tell she is practicing. As a writer, I almost always have ink stains on my hands. As a guitar player, I can tell her fingers are growing tough. They have to be to hold down guitar strings.
“Why? What’s wrong?” I ask.
She sighs. “He doesn’t have a job yet, neither do I. I think we are both frustrated. We haven’t seen each other lately though and I know he’s been moody.”
“You’ve had your moments too,” I remind her.
“I know,” she sighs, closing her book and flopping back on the grass. “I want to do something with music, but what? I mean maybe I could do something with Quidditch, like at the Ministry or something. I’m not horrid.” I can tell her heart isn’t in it though.
“Maybe you are looking too much at the magical world,” I say after a minute.
“What?” she asks, confused.
“Well, you could look at the muggle world. Maybe go to college or university or find a job out there with music. You are half muggle and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.” I don’t add that not everyone would agree, but I am happy being a part of both worlds, even if it can sometimes be confusing with contradicting thoughts. Overall though, I think I have managed a decent balance.
She nods, slowly, thinking this over. “Like how you are a witch, but you want to play muggle football?”
I smile. “Exactly,” I tell her, lying out next to her. “And no matter what, next year, I will be at tryouts.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” I tell her. She is the second person I have said that to aloud. Julia was the first, since she berated me for not trying out this year. We agreed that the two of us would go together. We can practice together and then give moral support. I get butterflies just thinking about it.
She nods, looking up at the sky. “I suppose I could look at my options in the muggle world. It can’t hurt.”
“And give Dennis some time. Remember, he got thrown into the world of magic and we were raised in both worlds. He’s also trying to find out what he likes, isn’t that what you told me?”
“Yes. It is just hard. I want him to be happy, but he just seems too miserable.”
“Have you talked to him about this?”
“A little,” she answers, but she says it in a way that I doubt they have spoken about it more than once.
“You’ll both work it out,” I assure her. “Talk to him. At the best, you can work things out and at the worst, you are back here again.” I know break ups are hard and I wonder if that will happen with Dennis and Caley. No matter what, I want what is best for my sister.
She nods and we are silent again, both lost in our thoughts, watching the sky, feeling the sunshine on our faces.