RECALLING SUZETTE'S STORIES OF HER PARENTS
Suzette was an interesting girl. We became friends in Introduction to Social Studies class in freshman year of high school. Suzette was of Chilean and Japanese decent. She had thick, long brown hair which she wore in braids. Suzette had a sarcastic sense of humor. Her answer to questions about how she was doing was always, "Rotten."
She was funny in a Penny Marshall sort of way. The only difference between her and Penny was how terribly shy Suzette was. Here was all this raw wonderful talent hidden away from the Stand-Up limelight. I felt like I was the only person in the world that knew how wonderfully funny she was.
She often spoke of her crazy parents. They were divorced and both insisted on living in the United States, but had to live as far away from the other as possible. Suzette's mother lived in Florida and her father lived in California. Suzette lived with her father during the school year and this is how I met her. She visited her mother every summer.
I don't remember any stories Suzette told of her mother, but I certainly remember her father O.J. I met Mr. Torres when I visited Suzette's house. He didn't like most people Suzette brought home, but he liked me. I think I've always had a way with crotchety old men. I treat them like they're bluffing. "I don't care what you say, I like you," I tell them.
It was funny seeing Suzette's house. It wasn't the sort of place I expected her father to keep. It was the cape cod style house with the white picket fence and roses out front. Mr. Torres was usually gardening when I came by or painting the house.
Suzette went with her father to movies quite a bit. He was always taking her to Fellini films. Suzette couldn't stand Fellini, but she went any way. She went to quite a few films by herself and often sat through them twice. She once told me the entire plot to Harry and Tonto. Even though I've never seen this film, I feel like I have. Suzette was a great story-teller.
She once spoke of her father opening the newspaper to see what was playing. Suzette told him to pick out something besides Fellini. "Here's one," he said. Suzette was surprised he found something besides some foreign film. She leaned in to read what he'd pointed out.
"We're not seeing that," she exclaimed.
"Why not?" her father scoffed.
"It's a mad-slasher movie."
Off they went to see the latest Fellini film.
She was funny in a Penny Marshall sort of way. The only difference between her and Penny was how terribly shy Suzette was. Here was all this raw wonderful talent hidden away from the Stand-Up limelight. I felt like I was the only person in the world that knew how wonderfully funny she was.
She often spoke of her crazy parents. They were divorced and both insisted on living in the United States, but had to live as far away from the other as possible. Suzette's mother lived in Florida and her father lived in California. Suzette lived with her father during the school year and this is how I met her. She visited her mother every summer.
I don't remember any stories Suzette told of her mother, but I certainly remember her father O.J. I met Mr. Torres when I visited Suzette's house. He didn't like most people Suzette brought home, but he liked me. I think I've always had a way with crotchety old men. I treat them like they're bluffing. "I don't care what you say, I like you," I tell them.
It was funny seeing Suzette's house. It wasn't the sort of place I expected her father to keep. It was the cape cod style house with the white picket fence and roses out front. Mr. Torres was usually gardening when I came by or painting the house.
Suzette went with her father to movies quite a bit. He was always taking her to Fellini films. Suzette couldn't stand Fellini, but she went any way. She went to quite a few films by herself and often sat through them twice. She once told me the entire plot to Harry and Tonto. Even though I've never seen this film, I feel like I have. Suzette was a great story-teller.
She once spoke of her father opening the newspaper to see what was playing. Suzette told him to pick out something besides Fellini. "Here's one," he said. Suzette was surprised he found something besides some foreign film. She leaned in to read what he'd pointed out.
"We're not seeing that," she exclaimed.
"Why not?" her father scoffed.
"It's a mad-slasher movie."
Off they went to see the latest Fellini film.
posted by Elizabeth Van Cleve Randolph | 5:32 PM
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