Little One Goes South- Brought to you by Marlborough

Lets consider our time here in South to be like a mini-series feature on the Little One channel. You can tune in and follow along as you wish. Let me begin by setting up the scenery and players for you:

Backdrop- A small town of 2000 where most of the businesses still have names like "Sue's diner", "Corner tool shop", and, yes, "JimBobs". A few small, winding roads away is a little marina with kid sized docks and little boats bobbing around. Everything is green green green and there is water everywhere. Next to the marina is a large parking lot underlining O'Onka's convenience store, and a short astroturf-covered stairway above the shop is our little apartment.
Set- An open little place with a wonderful, huge window in the living room, it has probably never seen the rough side of a sponge. Despite the fact that it is old and decaying, it's possibly decent underneath the many, many layers of grime and cigarette ash.
Cast of Characters-
Drunk Mike
Drunk Mike lives accross the hall with his napoleonic papillon, named Yappy Pappy. He is a very friendly chap. In fact, the first night we arrived he chatted us up, and then clapped J in a bear hug after learning he was in the navy, saying, "I-jsss wanna thank you for yerservice man. Thanky ou. Thanks." Don't get the wrong idea about Drunk Mike. He tries hard to contain Pappy's emotional outbursts and walks around the playground in the morning picking up litter, which scores him points in my book.
Smokey Lemont
Smokey L bought the conveniece store below us a week ago. He's probably one of the nicest people ever. Ever. When they didn't have any paper towels for sale he gave me a roll from the back. When they didn't have a corkskrew for sale he went home and got his for us. He has a big laugh and likes to talk about how much he loves his wife. And he likes to smoke cartons of cigarettes every day, the parfum of which comes rolling into our place through the vents and windows and under the door. Though some of that smoke could also be from-
The Porkers
The Porkers occupy two apartments down the hall from us. I've only met the teenagers who live there, who all call me ma'am and like to fish on the pier after school. The boyfriend has decided J is a very important man, what with his trained dogs and fancy uniform and all, and he tries very hard to get J's attention and to impress him. He wants J to know that he has put the indescretions of his youth behind him and is going to become a respiratory therapist. The Porkers know that fried pig meat is a vital dietary staple, and that despite common misconceptions, sausage and bacon are not just for breakfast. They are good all. day. long. The lovely scent of which comes seeping through the walls along with Tupac and BoysIIMen. Which have nothing on the musical gifts of-
DJ Griseda
DJ G is Smokey Lemont's wife, newly arrived from the Dominican Republic. She speaks no English, but will not let that stop her from making friends. She fell instantly and besottedly in love with Little One, and never misses a chance to squeal and dance around for Her and tell Her how linda She is. Little One generously returns this affection with giggles and raspberries, and will even let DJ G hold Her, a rare privalege these days for anyone but J or me. DJ G runs the store most days, playing music on speakers so hot that the base gives our apartment the feel of being back in the womb again, with a throbbing heartbeat that sometimes actually rattles the dishes in the cabinet.
Sidekick
This guy is very quiet and kind of bashful, but nice. I have no idea what his actual name is or how he's affiliated with the place, but when Mr. Landlord is about, Sidekick is always shaddowing him silently, and I think he lives here and is maybe some kind of super or something. He sort of slinks around, randomly appearing and dissappearing.
Mr. Landlord
Oh geeze. This guy! A lesson I may never learn, perhaps because I have three grandfathers who are so so great and whom I still think of as perfect, is to beware affable old men who try to seem harmless by saying things like "golly" "swell" and "I'm just an old feller". That santa beard and absent-minded smile are covers! Mr. L beleives, for instance, that leaky toilets have magical qualities, and might just fix 'emselves if we just "wait on it awhile". He promises treasures like vacuum cleaners and towels, and then refuses to answer the phone or return my calls.
Extras
These are people who chat with us in the store while we're hanging out with DJ G, who drive by while we're out exploring and slow down to wave, and who populate the inside and outside of local establishments, wishing us a "mornin'" through the cigarettes in their teeth. Everyone, so far, ready to smile and talk the day away, and every one oblivious to the cancerousness of the cloud wafting over to my baby.
Little One, J, the Doggies, Me
Well sure, we're in the show! We think we're the stars. So far we're playing the curious strangers, and Little One has the part of Center of Attention, a role for which She is naturally inclined.
Episodes of Little One Goes South coming soon... pictures also coming soon. I'll add them as internet speed and nap lengths allow. Tune in!