The early-morning sun slanted in through the eastern windows of the Jacksons’ sunroom, turning to fiery gold the leaves of the single birch tree outside, alone among the oak trees already barren and looking ready for winter. Andrew and Rose were ensconced in their favourite chairs, each with a cup of fresh coffee beside them, enjoying the warmth of the sun’s rays and the remaining fall colours outside. Neither of them spoke, content to just sit and enjoy the Sunday morning. There was the sound of footsteps from inside the house and a moment later Jennifer stepped into the room, still clad in pyjamas, hair tousled and unkempt.
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Are we going to call this meeting to order or what?” Brady Jackson leaned back in his chair and looked…
“Hi parents,” she said, plopping herself down in the chair facing south and rubbing sleep from her eyes.
“Good morning,” said the parents, in unison. “I hope you slept well,” said Andrew.
“Like a log,” said Jennifer. “It’s so quiet out here. And dark. In the city it’s always noisy and bright. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.”
“Good,” said Rose. “Because you’re supposed to move back here when you’re through with school, don’t forget.”
“No worries.” Jennifer brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. “I’ll always be a country girl.”
Rose smiled. “I have no doubt about that,” she said. “You got plans for the day?” she asked.
“Kendra and I are going to take the horses out this afternoon,” said Jennifer, “but that’s all.” And I don’t have any classes till Tuesday so I’ll stay overnight at Randy and Jackie’s if it suits them.”
“If it doesn’t,” said Andrew, “just come back here.”
“Yeah, that was my plan,” said Jennifer.
There was a brief silence, which Andrew soon broke.
“How’s school?” he wanted to know.
Jennifer frowned. “Ugh,” she said. “I’m so glad that election is over. For like a month, that’s all anyone talked about. Even the professors. They’d start in talking about genetically modifying brussels sprouts and end up going on and on about proportional representation or the dangers of ignoring climate change.”
“They’re going to genetically modify brussels sprouts?” Rose was surprised. “Why?”
Jennifer shrugged. “Probably to try to make them less disgusting,” she said.
“Well that shouldn’t be too difficult,” said Andrew. “But you didn’t find the politics interesting?” he added.
Jennifer scrunched up her nose and pondered that for a moment. “It’s not that I wasn’t interested,” she said. “It just seemed to go on forever.”
“So, what’s your opinion of the result?” asked Andrew.
“I like it,” said Jennifer. “I think it was rude of everybody to keep saying Mr. Trudeau wasn’t ready just because he wasn’t a grey-haired old coot like the others.”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Now who’s being rude?” he said.
“What I really want to know,” said Jennifer with just a hint of mischief in her eyes, “is why people are so racist…” here she paused to gauge her parents’ reaction… “against drama teachers.”
There was another silence while Andrew and Rose attempted to make sense of that. Jennifer decided to explain.
“Everybody who doesn’t like Justin Trudeau,” she said, “keeps referring to him as a drama teacher. As if that’s a bad thing. Which is insulting to drama teachers. Why are people prejudiced against drama teachers? Plus,” she continued, “he hasn’t been a drama teacher in ages. So if people are going to refer to him as a drama teacher then they should refer to Mr. Harper as a mailroom clerk.”
“Oh, but darling,” said Rose, “wouldn’t that be insulting to mailroom clerks?”
“Well duh,” said Jennifer. “If people use it as a slur, it’s insulting. That’s my point. Why does politics have to be about trying to make people look bad? Why can’t people just be decent?”
Andrew and Rose looked at each other. “Ah, the innocence of youth,” said Rose.
“So wasted on us old coots,” said Andrew.
“Seriously,” said Jennifer. “We young people are going to take over the world. As soon as you old people die off.”
“OK,” said Andrew. “You do realize that’s how it works right? As long as you don’t try to take over before we die off. Because that would be trouble.”
Jennifer smiled. “Don’t worry Pops,” she said. “We have a lot of stuff to do before we take over.”
“I wouldn’t wait too long if I were you,” said Rose. “We may not leave you much.”
“Did you leave me any coffee?” said Jennifer getting up out of her chair.
“Yes,” said Andrew. “We did leave you some of that.”
“Why can’t we,” said Rose to Andrew when Jennifer was gone, “just be decent?”
Andrew gave her a look. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said.
