The Chikamori Selfacy (A Reboot)
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-451kWfI6hzI/X8bPPtEyeVI/AAAAAAAAk54/KB3_SyRJ73IFG8EkSAmOkYAyCBOz1giwgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/ChikamoriSelfacyReboot_banner.png Prologue: June 12, 1970; Sacred Spleen Hospital...
Forum Discussion
The Chikamori Selfacy Generation One
Chapter One: Life in Sunset Valley (Part One)
A Long History
It had been a good eighteen years since Fiona had been a single pregnant young woman on the verge of giving birth wondering if she could make it on her own. And now her daughter was on the cusp of young womanhood.
River was strong-willed, a perfectionist which meant that she was diligent in her schoolwork and not prone to doing anything but her very best at academics. Getting good grades would stand her in good stead if she wanted to pursue her life goals. And she had studied intensively when she wasn't hanging out with her best friend. Her aim was to stay on honour roll all the way to graduation - that would give her a fighting chance at obtaining a scholarship to UBC.
Looking back at her life Fiona thought to herself that it had been a long tough slog for her. Having to go to night-school to get enough education to pursue a career as a journalist was hard especially when her daughter was an infant and needed taking care of. But she had wanted a better life for River and thus she scrimped, saved, went hungry so that she could get food for River and have enough left over for tuition. Luckily she was able to have a few friends who would help her along the way.
Considering that she was a beautiful woman, she had no shortage of suitors. But asides from a few dalliances to; indelicately put; scratch an itch, she abstained from getting into a relationship.
~flashback~
There had been another young baby at the natal care centre that River was at when she was born and their bassinets had been side by side. And it had turned out that the young infant beside her daughter's bassinet; during her stay in the natal centre, always seemed to reflexively move towards her daughter's side of the crib when she cried as if to comfort her. The nurses said that it was an involuntary startle reflex with nothing more behind it, but Fiona liked to think that there was something more to that. But all too soon she and River discharged from the birthing centre ward and headed home to start their new life together as mother and daughter. And all was forgotten about the curious interactions as they were too busy trying to raise their two respective children to wonder about the curious interaction between the two infants.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ankxKYgqI4/X7l_rsiqVNI/AAAAAAAAkZA/42Z6L6zQ_HsNpzPlvWN5P3nJLEaQmdebgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-26.jpg
Other than one conversation that they had regarding what the state of the house finances was, she didn’t recall much interaction other than “Thank you for month’s rent.” when she paid the monthly rent. Except for one conversation that was in regards to the dissolution of the rental situation...and a formal talk about what was going to happen to the house. Yasunobu had offered up a solution that he thought would be equitable for both sides.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5T9H63RhrlY/X7mKdNdwZmI/AAAAAAAAkZM/VD_tcKufgGkkfO4RxpbyqiFagsfl57yugCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-49.jpg
“You need place to live...” Yasunobu had said. “But you also need own house for River sake, ne...” Ne pronounced neh was the Japanese way of saying, y’know. “Maybe you own this house?”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YEiUzKlSIGc/X7mKo5kdvhI/AAAAAAAAkZQ/_U1r7YxNKhMP0O8_KRAogu-XGeKcAGUVACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-52.jpg
“I’d love to, Yasunobu, but the price of this house is completely out of my price range.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UCChtgD0CTI/X7mK0pAaR9I/AAAAAAAAkZY/0aJ_4sAXXBMJQ8P4Lm8vrLLxX1T9eKk0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-48.jpg
“Hmmmm...maybe we solve problem...” Yasunobu said “You pay month rent...not much higher maybe one hundred more month...we put half rent; half payment; you pay over ten year...then you own house.”
And that was that, She paid §1000 a month in rent and half of that money went towards ownership of the house. And Yasunobu had been as good as his word. Every month that went by, he’d deposit half the rent money in a separate bank account to accumulate interest and each rent that Fiona had paid him he split in two and put one half in the bank account and the other half was for him and Mayumi. He’d show Fiona every month how much had accumulated towards her equity in the house.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1PITWBjePb4/X7nj_2sfDGI/AAAAAAAAkaM/-0yB3bpAIL0P95wRr9kcpmLcSQ84tlP2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-89.jpg
The Chikamoris and Fiona McIrish got up early on Monday morning since Fiona and Mayumi had work. Mayumi was a high-school teacher subjugating her students to mental torture. She truly had no interest in teaching other than the power-trip that it gave her to be in control of a classroom of thirty students every hour and being able to subject their very educational whims to her wanton mercies. Jocks quailed at the thought of having to subject themselves to a class with Mrs. Chikamori. She, on the other hand, enjoyed humiliating those "big, dumb apes..." as she was wont to call them, exhorting them to exert their educational efforts or be left behind stuck driving a 70 Pinto delivering pizza for the rest of their lives as pathetic failures of the British Columbia Educational system.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8AnJ-XD26uo/X7nnJRxQjII/AAAAAAAAkaY/1b0V3_f1ZoE47l934tDHvvs3zovIQxX5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-91.jpg
Fiona on the other hand, enjoyed her employment, being a freelance writer. Which meant submitting articles written to the paper as well as books, writing reviews on places where she'd been and simply writing about anything of note within the community. Her place of employment was Doo Peas Business Tower where anyone who was either in business or journalism had a desk or office in the building. It was interesting to note that the Vancouver Province had accepted a few of her submissions and she was thus able to establish her credentials as a freelance writer. It would help bring in some income.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T9DYcFwL2pw/X7npavohDwI/AAAAAAAAkak/g1QmwzjVhzYSqBLUsUKrtNx7xHMDNSDzACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-75.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qCf6uYWtyEg/X7npav0gv9I/AAAAAAAAkao/hE0jRStIElE9w32TPmEdbLZok_KyrE6gQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-84.jpg
Yasunobu had, on a whim, since he was stuck at home minding the two toddlers, that he would go take the two to Central Park. There he would meet up with Fiona after her shift at work as a Freelance Reporter. And it would make for a nice day out for the two young toddlers; a nice sunny morning, warm temperatures and hardly anyone at the park. He noticed some trees out there in the park that had fruit ripe for the picking, so he was going to use the time that Haruo and River sat and played with each other to harvest some of the trees. He'd noticed that there were lemons and he was quite willing to learn how to make key lime pie which was absolutely a delicacy. There were a lot of plants out in the park that would work for bringing in extra income. So before they ventured to the park, he told both River and Haruo to play with the block table while he went out and worked on the garden. Needless to say both toddlers behaved themselves and they were able to make their way to the park.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o4WAHTB2BRY/X7nrsbl-zXI/AAAAAAAAka8/gunHskD4nrkR3VwjONOskokZauab0JbKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-88.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l7JzoV0Ff-E/X7nrsRS7W8I/AAAAAAAAka4/uoQAGdVxN4wNuN-zwpeubgt8shMcGJuRACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-93.jpg
Haruo and River's time at the park was quite interesting and they would probably need baths as well since they were busy pawing around in the grass as well as in the dirt. Toddlers get into all sorts of things so that was par for the course for bringing them to the park. When they started getting fussy, Yasunobu started packing them up and headed for home. After bath-time, the two toddlers ended up playing at the block-table. Tomorrow, Yasunobu would work on their talking and walking.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mLeNc1VzHI/X7oFohiNJ3I/AAAAAAAAkbM/dFkOZPCz2bYvD0JqVHTPY3broJv-M08wgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-98.jpg
After all, having played in the sand-box at the park, Haruo and River had both managed to get themselves covered in sand, both in their clothes, as well as in their hair when they each tried to toss several handfuls straight up in the air and it showered down all over them. What a mess. When he'd finished bathing the two little toddlers who had gotten themselves into a quite a mess after he told them, "I make dinner, you play block table, don't get into anything..." Both River and Haruo nodded mutely...and crawled over to the block table, each picking up a block.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WNRGNHwucAo/X7oGHHm4IHI/AAAAAAAAkbU/4e4xX-BfUeIIFi88acQKz0AKaJ0yp_m2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-59.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1dXNjhhNI84/X7oGONnzBSI/AAAAAAAAkbc/C53_dVsRqfwbFLYvLofdVeEipBWxmn-AQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-105.jpg
At this age, there was nothing untoward about River's glances towards Haruo, it was just innocent play. It was more an "I like you as a friend, will you play blocks with me?" sort of glance. Haruo was too busy gnawing on the blue block he had in his hand. River had a red triangle shape grasped within her hand and to Yasunobu, it was clear that the two of them were fast friends who would spend plenty of time with each other over the coming years.
...so Yasunobu went outside to put the dogs on the grill and watch over them as the two youngsters were consumed with play-time.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-617vq9aMQOA/X7oH8dsPGSI/AAAAAAAAkbw/5ac6mz3EVHMUmFLwYAJzjKOP5W8XGrEzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-61.jpg
...and then it was just a matter of watching over the children until River's mother came home to take care of River.
(end Part 1; Chapter One)
Chapter One: Life in Sunset Valley (Part One)
A Long History
It had been a good eighteen years since Fiona had been a single pregnant young woman on the verge of giving birth wondering if she could make it on her own. And now her daughter was on the cusp of young womanhood.
River was strong-willed, a perfectionist which meant that she was diligent in her schoolwork and not prone to doing anything but her very best at academics. Getting good grades would stand her in good stead if she wanted to pursue her life goals. And she had studied intensively when she wasn't hanging out with her best friend. Her aim was to stay on honour roll all the way to graduation - that would give her a fighting chance at obtaining a scholarship to UBC.
Looking back at her life Fiona thought to herself that it had been a long tough slog for her. Having to go to night-school to get enough education to pursue a career as a journalist was hard especially when her daughter was an infant and needed taking care of. But she had wanted a better life for River and thus she scrimped, saved, went hungry so that she could get food for River and have enough left over for tuition. Luckily she was able to have a few friends who would help her along the way.
Considering that she was a beautiful woman, she had no shortage of suitors. But asides from a few dalliances to; indelicately put; scratch an itch, she abstained from getting into a relationship.
~flashback~
There had been another young baby at the natal care centre that River was at when she was born and their bassinets had been side by side. And it had turned out that the young infant beside her daughter's bassinet; during her stay in the natal centre, always seemed to reflexively move towards her daughter's side of the crib when she cried as if to comfort her. The nurses said that it was an involuntary startle reflex with nothing more behind it, but Fiona liked to think that there was something more to that. But all too soon she and River discharged from the birthing centre ward and headed home to start their new life together as mother and daughter. And all was forgotten about the curious interactions as they were too busy trying to raise their two respective children to wonder about the curious interaction between the two infants.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ankxKYgqI4/X7l_rsiqVNI/AAAAAAAAkZA/42Z6L6zQ_HsNpzPlvWN5P3nJLEaQmdebgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-26.jpg
Other than one conversation that they had regarding what the state of the house finances was, she didn’t recall much interaction other than “Thank you for month’s rent.” when she paid the monthly rent. Except for one conversation that was in regards to the dissolution of the rental situation...and a formal talk about what was going to happen to the house. Yasunobu had offered up a solution that he thought would be equitable for both sides.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5T9H63RhrlY/X7mKdNdwZmI/AAAAAAAAkZM/VD_tcKufgGkkfO4RxpbyqiFagsfl57yugCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-49.jpg
“You need place to live...” Yasunobu had said. “But you also need own house for River sake, ne...” Ne pronounced neh was the Japanese way of saying, y’know. “Maybe you own this house?”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YEiUzKlSIGc/X7mKo5kdvhI/AAAAAAAAkZQ/_U1r7YxNKhMP0O8_KRAogu-XGeKcAGUVACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-52.jpg
“I’d love to, Yasunobu, but the price of this house is completely out of my price range.”
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UCChtgD0CTI/X7mK0pAaR9I/AAAAAAAAkZY/0aJ_4sAXXBMJQ8P4Lm8vrLLxX1T9eKk0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-48.jpg
“Hmmmm...maybe we solve problem...” Yasunobu said “You pay month rent...not much higher maybe one hundred more month...we put half rent; half payment; you pay over ten year...then you own house.”
And that was that, She paid §1000 a month in rent and half of that money went towards ownership of the house. And Yasunobu had been as good as his word. Every month that went by, he’d deposit half the rent money in a separate bank account to accumulate interest and each rent that Fiona had paid him he split in two and put one half in the bank account and the other half was for him and Mayumi. He’d show Fiona every month how much had accumulated towards her equity in the house.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1PITWBjePb4/X7nj_2sfDGI/AAAAAAAAkaM/-0yB3bpAIL0P95wRr9kcpmLcSQ84tlP2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-89.jpg
The Chikamoris and Fiona McIrish got up early on Monday morning since Fiona and Mayumi had work. Mayumi was a high-school teacher subjugating her students to mental torture. She truly had no interest in teaching other than the power-trip that it gave her to be in control of a classroom of thirty students every hour and being able to subject their very educational whims to her wanton mercies. Jocks quailed at the thought of having to subject themselves to a class with Mrs. Chikamori. She, on the other hand, enjoyed humiliating those "big, dumb apes..." as she was wont to call them, exhorting them to exert their educational efforts or be left behind stuck driving a 70 Pinto delivering pizza for the rest of their lives as pathetic failures of the British Columbia Educational system.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8AnJ-XD26uo/X7nnJRxQjII/AAAAAAAAkaY/1b0V3_f1ZoE47l934tDHvvs3zovIQxX5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-91.jpg
Fiona on the other hand, enjoyed her employment, being a freelance writer. Which meant submitting articles written to the paper as well as books, writing reviews on places where she'd been and simply writing about anything of note within the community. Her place of employment was Doo Peas Business Tower where anyone who was either in business or journalism had a desk or office in the building. It was interesting to note that the Vancouver Province had accepted a few of her submissions and she was thus able to establish her credentials as a freelance writer. It would help bring in some income.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T9DYcFwL2pw/X7npavohDwI/AAAAAAAAkak/g1QmwzjVhzYSqBLUsUKrtNx7xHMDNSDzACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-75.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qCf6uYWtyEg/X7npav0gv9I/AAAAAAAAkao/hE0jRStIElE9w32TPmEdbLZok_KyrE6gQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-84.jpg
Yasunobu had, on a whim, since he was stuck at home minding the two toddlers, that he would go take the two to Central Park. There he would meet up with Fiona after her shift at work as a Freelance Reporter. And it would make for a nice day out for the two young toddlers; a nice sunny morning, warm temperatures and hardly anyone at the park. He noticed some trees out there in the park that had fruit ripe for the picking, so he was going to use the time that Haruo and River sat and played with each other to harvest some of the trees. He'd noticed that there were lemons and he was quite willing to learn how to make key lime pie which was absolutely a delicacy. There were a lot of plants out in the park that would work for bringing in extra income. So before they ventured to the park, he told both River and Haruo to play with the block table while he went out and worked on the garden. Needless to say both toddlers behaved themselves and they were able to make their way to the park.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o4WAHTB2BRY/X7nrsbl-zXI/AAAAAAAAka8/gunHskD4nrkR3VwjONOskokZauab0JbKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-88.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l7JzoV0Ff-E/X7nrsRS7W8I/AAAAAAAAka4/uoQAGdVxN4wNuN-zwpeubgt8shMcGJuRACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-93.jpg
Haruo and River's time at the park was quite interesting and they would probably need baths as well since they were busy pawing around in the grass as well as in the dirt. Toddlers get into all sorts of things so that was par for the course for bringing them to the park. When they started getting fussy, Yasunobu started packing them up and headed for home. After bath-time, the two toddlers ended up playing at the block-table. Tomorrow, Yasunobu would work on their talking and walking.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mLeNc1VzHI/X7oFohiNJ3I/AAAAAAAAkbM/dFkOZPCz2bYvD0JqVHTPY3broJv-M08wgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-98.jpg
After all, having played in the sand-box at the park, Haruo and River had both managed to get themselves covered in sand, both in their clothes, as well as in their hair when they each tried to toss several handfuls straight up in the air and it showered down all over them. What a mess. When he'd finished bathing the two little toddlers who had gotten themselves into a quite a mess after he told them, "I make dinner, you play block table, don't get into anything..." Both River and Haruo nodded mutely...and crawled over to the block table, each picking up a block.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WNRGNHwucAo/X7oGHHm4IHI/AAAAAAAAkbU/4e4xX-BfUeIIFi88acQKz0AKaJ0yp_m2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-59.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1dXNjhhNI84/X7oGONnzBSI/AAAAAAAAkbc/C53_dVsRqfwbFLYvLofdVeEipBWxmn-AQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-105.jpg
At this age, there was nothing untoward about River's glances towards Haruo, it was just innocent play. It was more an "I like you as a friend, will you play blocks with me?" sort of glance. Haruo was too busy gnawing on the blue block he had in his hand. River had a red triangle shape grasped within her hand and to Yasunobu, it was clear that the two of them were fast friends who would spend plenty of time with each other over the coming years.
...so Yasunobu went outside to put the dogs on the grill and watch over them as the two youngsters were consumed with play-time.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-617vq9aMQOA/X7oH8dsPGSI/AAAAAAAAkbw/5ac6mz3EVHMUmFLwYAJzjKOP5W8XGrEzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Screenshot-61.jpg
...and then it was just a matter of watching over the children until River's mother came home to take care of River.
(end Part 1; Chapter One)
