The Madrona Heroes Register: Echoes of the Past by Hillel Cooperman

everyone was
pretty draining. She needed to get away. Get clear of her insanely
annoying family.
    Like many relatively
modern cities, the greater metropolitan area in which the Jordans
lived was laid out on a grid, making navigation and maintenance
easy. But the people who settled the Madrona neighborhood at the
end of the 19 th and beginning of the 20 th century realized the value
of the lush natural vegetation, as well as the beautiful views of
the lake and white-capped mountains in the distance. The
neighborhood plan was laid out mimicking the ebb and flow of the
natural landscape — paths through Madrona to the lake were dotted
with teardrop shaped parks and large expansive wooded areas. The
lake, the opposite shore, and the mountains gleamed in the distance
on clear days.
    While some of these nature spots were
no more than small patches of green with a convenient bench or two,
there were swaths of woods where you could lose yourself if you
really needed to. Despite Binny’s strenuous and frequent efforts to
find peace by getting justice from her parents, when they
inevitably let her down, the woods gave her their own form of
peace. Needless to say she was a frequent visitor
lately.
    Binny snuck out of the
house to avoid seeing her family. She made it all the way out to
the front gate, but immediately regretted glancing up the street:
Cassie and the girl from across the street were now playing together on the
sidewalk. It wasn’t that Binny was dying to play with either of
them. But why was the neighbor girl always inserting herself into
Binny’s life? Cassie might be an annoying little sister, but she
was Binny’s annoying little sister and therefore Binny’s private
domain. And what was a ten-year-old doing playing with a seven year
old anyway? That was pretty weird. And speaking of weird, did that
girl not own a pair of shoes?
    Her wooded destination temporarily set
aside, Binny walked over to where Cassie and the girl next door
were playing. Apparently Cassie had convinced the neighbor girl to
pretend to be her chauffeur. They were standing next to a parked
car with Cassie reciting the various destinations where she’d like
to be driven in her “limousine”. Binny reflexively ran her hand
over the front of her pants pocket to feel for the outline of her
mother’s mirror. It was still there. One small thing that was
hers.
    “ And then I’ll need you to
drive me to my sold out concert this evening,” Cassie issued her
instruction in an offhand but serious tone.
    “ Yes ma’am”, the girl
responded, equally serious.
    “ You know she’s not
allowed to go too far from the house.” Binny interjected, feeling
it was her responsibility to remind Cassie and the neighbor girl of
the rules.
    “ Ma’am, it’s one of your
fans.” The girl said to Cassie, staying in character.
    “ Oh driver, you know I
love my fans, but I just don’t have time to sign autographs right
now.”
    “ I’m sorry, but she can’t
sign any autographs right now. Perhaps I could offer you a free
ticket to her concert this evening? It’s sold out you
know.”
    Binny was incredulous. “I don’t want
an autograph. And I don’t want tickets to her concert. And you know
why? Because there is NO concert, she’s NOT a star, you’re not her
chauffeur, and this ISN’T a LIMOUSINE!” Binny shouted, hands on her
hips, her face full of indignation.
    “ Give her a backstage pass
as well.” Cassie waved her hand towards the neighbor girl,
signaling her to take care of it.
    Binny couldn’t sit through another
minute of Cassie’s make-believe. It was bad enough that her sister
lived in her own warped world. But to have the girl next door
pretending with her…
    “ You know what, I was just
trying to make sure you didn’t get hurt. But now, I don’t care. Do
whatever you like. Break all the rules. Go wherever you want.” Next
Binny said to the neighbor girl: “She’s your problem. I’m leaving!”
Binny turned her back on them