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Author: Yih
Written: April 2001
The idiot child sat there--playing with its legos, oblivious to the fact two
older women were discussing it amongst themselves. The younger woman was dressed
in a stylish business suit of elegant tastes. The older woman reclined back
in her rocking chair unperturbed that she was so ill dressed compared to her
company.
"I see you are still taking care of it. I've brought another check," declared the younger woman in a high pitched voice of the better sort.
"I don't need that kind of money."
"Take it," exclaimed the younger, pressing the lurid golden paper into the older's hand.
"Go away and spend your time with your people," muttered the older, dropping the check onto the floor as if it were mere dirt that would fell as she cleaned her hands.
The idiot child caught sight of the glistening glimmer of the fallen paper. It moved from its pile of lego blocks to where the gaudy check now resided on the scratched wooden floor. It picked up the thin paper whose value was only monetary and examined it with its eyes in the clear yellow sunlight.
"Look what you've done!" cried out the younger in a shrilly voice of distinct annoyance. "Give me that, idiot! That's not yours to touch! Hand it over!"
The idiot who was so blatantly named dropped the paper onto the dented planks and scurried behind its guardian. It whimpered pathetically behind the creaking rocking chair. The older moved herself slowly to her feet and pointed her finger at the younger.
"You shouldn't come hear to insult the poor child!" she scolded. "Get out if that the way you're going to be and don't come back!"
"Why do you love her so much?" asked the younger sharply. "What does she have that's so special?"
The older ignored the younger and crooned to the idiot child, "come here, my sweet. Come to me."
She knelt down and held out her familiar arms soft from lack of activity out to the idiot child. It moved to her with one small step at a time, throwing cautious glances at the younger with eyes filled with a tear each. It finally collapsed into the arms of its guardian and the tears fell down its pale cheeks.
"I hate it."
The idiot child held onto the older with a strong grip when it heard the cold statement of the younger. Even when the older rubbed its back comfortingly, it would not loosen its hold for a moment in the fear that the younger may grab it from its sanctuary.
"You don't understand her," retorted the older in a disapproving voice.
"I understand enough," the younger cried out disdainfully. "It's never going to be normal! Why don't you just let me send it to the asylum?"
"She's not your responsibility anymore. I've told you I'll take care of her."
It buried its head into the older's warm neck and continued to sniffle whenever it heard the other woman speak. But when it heard the no nonsense voice of its guardian, it raised its face up and stared at the older for a long second of searching. It made an excited moan that meant 'happy' and pressed its face against the older's cheeks.
"How disgusting! It's all over you like a mangy puppy and that's still giving it too much credit!"
The older looked at the younger with pitying eyes and sat back down on her rocking chair, swaying it back and forth as the idiot child contentedly rested in her consoling arms. "I am sorry you turned out this way."
"I am glad I turned out this way! Look at you! You're still where you were ten years ago! You're nothing!"
The idiot child trembled in its guardian's embrace and clutched the wrinkled robe to its nose as it started the beginnings of a fearful sob. Before it could grab onto the older harder, the younger ripped away the idiot child from its safe perch and threw it to the barren floor. The older tried to sweep pass the younger to go and soothe the idiot child but the younger blocked the way.
"What have I done that has been so bad? I am successful! I am wealthy! I am beautiful! I am everything that I have ever wanted to be--that you wanted me to be! You always told me you wanted me to have all the opportunities and to take advantage of my chances! Have you changed so greatly now?" cried out the younger with a demanding tone that wanted an answer.
"If I had known you would have turned out to be so cold and so cruel, I would have rather you be like me, a hardworking woman without a husband," replied the older tiredly. "Now move aside."
The younger moved to the side and watched as the older kiss it on both cheeks. The younger's eyes twitched when the idiot child got up onto its feet and fell into its guardian's arms. It moaned a pitiable sound of joy.
"How can you love something so stupid?" asked the outraged younger woman.
"Easy," the older woman replied. "I love you."