Patina Chapter 6

Summary

In this heartfelt narrative, the protagonist, Patty, navigates the complexities of family life after her father's passing and her mother's health decline. Amidst the challenges, she finds solace in helping her sister Maddie with homework and embarks on a school project about Frida Kahlo. Patty's journey is interwoven with her commitment to track and field, her uncle's lighthearted support, and the enduring bond of family, culminating in a poignant depiction of resilience and love.

Takeaways

• 🏠 The protagonist lives with her mother, sister Maddie, and Uncle Tony, who is a supportive and humorous figure in their lives.
• 📚 The protagonist is involved in school activities, including a project on Frida Kahlo and track practice, where she recently placed second in a meet.
• 👩‍👧 The protagonist feels a strong sense of responsibility towards her younger sister Maddie, often helping with homework and providing emotional support.
• 🍗 The family has a routine of eating turkey wings for dinner every night, a dish that holds significance for the family after the loss of the protagonist's father.
• 🏃‍♀️ The protagonist is dedicated to her track practice and is motivated to improve her running speed, with encouragement from Uncle Tony.
• 🎨 Frida Kahlo is a central figure in the protagonist's school project, and she finds a personal connection with the artist's life experiences.
• 😔 The protagonist's mother has health issues, including diabetes, which has affected her mobility and emotional state, causing the family to adapt to these changes.
• 💔 The family has experienced significant loss, with the death of the protagonist's father and the mother's deteriorating health, impacting their daily life and emotional well-being.
• 👧 Maddie, the protagonist's sister, is confused about the mother's health condition, and the protagonist tries to protect her by simplifying the explanation of their mother's illness.
• 📝 Maddie writes a letter to her mother's 'lost legs', expressing her longing and confusion, which deeply affects the protagonist and highlights the family's struggle with the mother's health.
• 🤔 The protagonist grapples with the pressure of fulfilling a pinky promise to Maddie about her own legs not 'running away', symbolizing the fear of losing control over her life and health.

Q & A

What is the main character's routine after coming home from practice?

The main character, Patty, usually comes home to her mother turning down the radio news and asking about her practice. She always says it was fine and tries not to show that she's tired, so her sister Maddie doesn't worry about her helping with homework.

How does Patty's mother cope with the loss of her husband?

Patty's mother copes with her husband's death by becoming 'churchy,' which involves catching the spirit, dancing in the aisles, and praying for peace. She also starts eating a lot, particularly sweets that were her husband's favorites.

What health condition does Patty's mother develop after her husband's death?

Patty's mother develops diabetes, which eventually leads to the loss of her legs and most of her laughter.

Why does Patty feel the need to be strong and brave?

Patty feels the need to be strong and brave because she has to look out for her younger sister Maddie, who is confused about their mother's health condition, and she also has to deal with her own feelings of loss and grief.

What is the significance of the pinky promise Patty makes with Maddie?

The pinky promise is significant because it symbolizes a serious commitment in their family. Maddie asks Patty to pinky promise that her legs won't run away, and Patty agrees, feeling the weight of the promise.

What is the main character's school project about?

The main character's school project is about Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist known for her self-portraits and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico.

Why does Patty feel a connection to Frida Kahlo?

Patty feels a connection to Frida Kahlo because Frida was close to her father, and Patty can relate to the feeling of something breaking inside, as she has experienced the loss of her father and seen her mother's emotional paralysis.

What is the significance of the letter that Maddie wants to write?

The letter Maddie wants to write is significant because it represents her confusion and longing for her mother's lost mobility. She wants to address the letter to her mother's legs, asking them where they went and why they had to leave.

How does Patty's family dynamic change after moving in with Uncle Tony?

After moving in with Uncle Tony, Patty's family dynamic changes as they become closer and rely on each other more. Uncle Tony brings humor and lightness to the family, helping them cope with their grief and challenges.

What is the role of Uncle Tony in Patty's life?

Uncle Tony plays a significant role in Patty's life as a supportive figure who brings joy and humor. He is also a source of comfort and understanding, especially when Patty is dealing with her emotions about her family's situation.

What is the significance of the turkey wings in the family's dinner routine?

The turkey wings are significant in the family's dinner routine because they represent a constant in Patty's life. Her mother makes them every night, and they become a symbol of stability and familiarity amidst the changes the family is going through.

Outlines

00:00

🏠 Family Dynamics and School Life

The narrator discusses their daily routine after school, which includes a car ride home with their mother and sister, Maddie. The narrator tries to hide their fatigue to help with Maddie's homework and household chores. They also mention their school project on Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist, and their personal connection to her story of resilience. The family dynamic is highlighted by the presence of Uncle Tony, who brings humor and comfort to the family after the loss of the narrator's father. The narrator's mother copes with her grief by indulging in sweets, which eventually leads to health issues including diabetes.

05:02

💌 Maddie's Letter and the Promise

The narrator recounts a poignant moment when Maddie asks for help writing a letter to their mother's 'lost legs' due to diabetes complications. The letter expresses longing and confusion about the mother's health condition. The narrator struggles with the request, feeling the weight of Maddie's innocence and their own inability to provide a concrete answer about the permanence of their mother's condition. The emotional intensity of the situation is relieved by a pinky promise, a significant gesture of commitment in their family.

10:03

🏃‍♀️ The Impact of Track and Field

The narrator is encouraged by a friend, Lou, to join a track club, which becomes a turning point in their life. Despite the initial reluctance due to a recent loss in a relay race, the narrator finds solace and motivation in the sport. The family dinner conversation reveals the mother's occupation as a caretaker, with a focus on an Alzheimer's patient who struggles with memory loss. The dinner conversation also lightens up with Uncle Tony's humorous attempt to demonstrate a running technique, bringing laughter and relief to the family.

15:04

👨‍👧‍👦 Family Support and Uncle Tony's Advice

The final paragraph delves into the support system within the family, particularly from Uncle Tony, who tries to lighten the mood after the narrator's disappointing race. He offers advice on improving running technique through a humorous demonstration, which brings joy to the family. The narrator also discusses their school project on Frida Kahlo with their mother, who shows interest but admits to not knowing much about the artist. The family's resilience and humor in the face of adversity are evident, as they navigate through their daily lives with love and support.

Keywords

💡Patina

Patina refers to the title character of the story, often called Patty. The narrative follows her experiences and challenges as a young girl balancing school, family responsibilities, and track practice. The story explores her thoughts, emotions, and interactions with her family, especially her sister Maddie.

💡Family Responsibilities

Family responsibilities are central to Patty's life. She takes on significant duties in caring for her younger sister Maddie and supporting her mother, who has diabetes. The script highlights Patty's maturity and the pressure she feels to be strong for her family, especially after the death of her father.

💡Track Practice

Track practice symbolizes Patty's connection to her late father and her means of coping with life's challenges. It's more than just a sport for her; it's a way to channel her emotions, stay connected to her dad, and prove her strength, particularly after her mother's health declined.

💡Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican artist, serves as a parallel to Patty's experiences. Both have faced physical and emotional hardships, with Frida's struggles with polio and a bus accident mirroring Patty's challenges with her mother's illness and her father's death. Patty is researching Frida for a school project, finding inspiration in her resilience.

💡Diabetes

Diabetes is the illness that significantly impacts Patty's mother's life, leading to the amputation of her legs. This condition also deepens Patty's sense of responsibility, as she must help care for her mother and younger sister, shaping much of her day-to-day life.

💡Pinky Promise

A pinky promise between Patty and Maddie symbolizes the deep trust and bond between the sisters. In the story, Maddie asks Patty to promise that her legs won’t 'run away' like their mother's did. This promise underscores Patty's role as a protector and source of stability for Maddie.

💡Uncle Tony

Uncle Tony is a significant figure in Patty's life, providing support and a sense of normalcy. His playful and caring nature offers a counterbalance to the heavier responsibilities Patty faces at home, helping to maintain a sense of family unity and love.

💡Mommy

Mommy, referred to as Patty's mother, plays a crucial role in the story. Despite her health challenges, she remains a central figure in the household. Patty often feels the need to protect and help her, highlighting the themes of family duty and the impact of illness on loved ones.

💡Homework

Homework in the script is a metaphor for the normalcy Patty tries to maintain in her life. It represents the everyday struggles of balancing schoolwork with her significant family responsibilities. Patty's dedication to her homework, despite her exhaustion, also reflects her resilience and determination.

💡Cooking

Cooking, particularly the repeated mention of turkey wings, represents routine and comfort in Patty's life. Despite the challenges her family faces, the act of cooking and sharing meals symbolizes stability and continuity, even if it's as simple as having turkey wings every night.

Highlights

The protagonist's routine involves a ride home with their mother, where they discuss the day and homework.

The protagonist hides their tiredness to avoid worrying their sister, Maddie, and to help with her homework.

Maddie's homework is already done, and the protagonist has some of their own to complete.

The protagonist is researching Frida Kahlo for a school project, learning about her life and struggles.

Uncle Tony's comforting presence is highlighted, as he provides support and humor to the family.

The family dynamic is explored, showing the close bond between the protagonist and Uncle Tony.

The protagonist's father's passing and its impact on the family, especially the mother's emotional state, is discussed.

The mother's coping mechanism of baking and eating sweets, which leads to health issues, is revealed.

The protagonist's struggle to balance their own needs with the responsibility of caring for their sister, Maddie.

Maddie's confusion about their mother's health condition and the protagonist's attempt to explain it to her.

A poignant moment where Maddie writes a letter to her mother's 'lost legs', expressing her feelings.

The protagonist's promise to Maddie to never let her down, symbolized by a pinky promise.

The protagonist's introduction to track and field as a way to cope with personal struggles and to honor their family.

The family's daily dinner routine of eating turkey wings, a tradition started by the mother.

The mother's work as a caretaker and her dedication to her patients, including a sweet old man with Alzheimer's.

Uncle Tony's attempt to lighten the mood by discussing the protagonist's track practice and their recent race.

The protagonist's reflection on their performance in a recent track meet and Uncle Tony's support.

The family's shared laughter over Uncle Tony's comedic running demonstration.

Transcripts

hi guys and welcome to patina chapter

six

to do eat turkey wings for the millionth

day in a row the ride home always goes

like this

mommy turns the radio news down then

asks how practice was i tell her it was

fine

she asked if i'm tired and even if i am

i tell her i'm not

just because i don't want maddie to hear

that i'm tired and think i won't be able

to help her with stuff like her homework

which every day when i ask her about it

she tells mom we already helped her

and before i can even say anything mommy

just says

didn't want you to have to worry about

it which i just not had

then i tell mommy i'll help her to make

dinner as soon as my homework's done

and she says i've already started

cooking and by then

maddie already started kicking the back

of my seat the rest of the ride home

which drives me crazy but also in some

weird way

kind of relaxes me like a massage and a

massage like a massage

and a message i'm here patty and i'm

fine

and today was no different i was tired

acted like i wasn't

maddie's homework was done and i had a

little left

of mine to do before dinner nothing too

major i knocked out my math assignment

english homework was to think about

canons which basically meant english

homework was to think about history

homework

which was going to be reading up more on

frida kahlo so i could be ready to add

some new information to our project

not like anyone else is going to i

figured tnt and becca were probably at

home

i don't know tanning or something it

wouldn't have surprised me if they had

one of those skin quicker things in

their houses

those beds you lay on that come down

over the top of you and roast you

and you come out looking like a

rotisserie chicken meanwhile

i was researching things i learned about

frida

so far she was from mexico she was

diagnosed with polio

when she was six which made her right

leg skinnier than her left

when she was 18 she got into a bus

accident that broke her spine

crushed her right leg and foot and made

it impossible for her to have babies

doctors said she would never walk again

patty

um patty a squeaky voice way too silly

to be real

came from the other side of the bedroom

door uncle tony

he dropped the daffy duck dinner's

almost ready you almost done with your

homework

my uncle's voice when he's speaking like

a regular human being

is deep but not in a scary way he has

one of those voices that you wish you

could touch wrap yourself up in like a

blanket

a voice like a dad and i guess like an

uncle

and a favorite uncle me and uncle tony

had been closed forever

he's one of those big kid grown-ups a

goof troop all jokes all the time

and when i was younger he was one of the

only people who could make my mom laugh

like a laugh that seemed to come up from

her feet

we lost my father and up from her belly

after she lost her feet

as a matter of fact he was one of the

only people who could make any of us

laugh back then i'm almost done i said

bookmarking the website i'll be browsing

tell mommy i'll be right out to help i

jotted one last note

something i'd read that i didn't think

that was that important

to the project but maybe

frida was close to her father and that

more than anything

was what me and freda had in common only

difference is

frida's dad didn't die when she was

young so she didn't know what he was

like

she didn't know what it felt like to be

broken until she was older

and i don't not only did i know the

feeling of something breaking inside me

i also had to watch my mom go through it

and basically get paralyzed in a whole

different way

in her brain and in her heart matter of

fact after dad passed

that's when ma got all churchy churchy

beginning of catching the spirit and

dancing in the aisles and

praying for peace in the eye of the

storm but she had no idea the storm was

just getting started

because that's also when she started

eating like

a lot and not just regular food but

sweets

all my dad's favorite recipes sweet

potato cheesecake and peanut butter

brownies and white chocolate cookies and

of course

a delicious yellow cupcake with

strawberry icing

your daddy used to say this thing was so

good

they'd make you slap your mama ma would

say nibbling the top of the cupcakes

so you better not have too many of them

we'd do a like

and then she'd have too many of them i

guess maybe the sweets were a way of

staying kind of connected to my dad

dessert for the deserted and i'm not

going to pretend

it wasn't amazing living in a house that

always smelled like

cooked sugar which smelled like him and

heaven

it was great but eventually it wasn't

because diabetes

came and took ma's legs took most of

what was left of her laugh too

and that's when the actual storm reached

maximum storminess

and i was pretty messed up by the whole

thing but doing my best to be strong and

brave and big

and all the other things i ain't really

feel like being at that time

i'd rather be sneaking lipstick on in

the bathroom sending cotton selfies of

how fly i looked

then washing it all off so my mother

wouldn't see it

or sitting on the curb at cotton's

painting our nails with nail polish i

wasn't allowed to wear

that her big brother skunk would steal

from the beauty store

even though i would have to scrub mine

clean before i came back home unless it

was clear polish but then

what's the point or trying to convince

my mother to let me use cucumber mango

or berry rose water or

kiwi coconut or any other fruity flowery

good smelling lotion

on her swollen cracked up legs flipping

through magazines cringing at kitten

heels even though those were the only

ones i have

ever had a shot of wearing in bev

jones's house

that's what i used to do what i wanted

to be doing but i couldn't do

none of those things no more at least

not like i wanted to

because now i had to look out for maddie

who was just

confused i think she had turned four too

young to really understand what was

going on with ma's health

and it was really hard to explain it all

to her

so i told maddie and ma's legs had to go

go away

looking back on it maybe it wasn't the

best idea but at the time it was all i

had

and it seemed to help and that's when

that crazy thing i was talking about

earlier

the crazy moment with maddie happened

she asked me to help her write a letter

she said it was for school

of course i grabbed a pencil and a sheet

of paper from her backpack

that maddie in the little chair at her

desk leaned over and asked what she

wanted the letter to say

she wanted to say this dear mommy's legs

i remember my hand instantly started

shaking and i was squeezing the pencil

tight enough to snap it in half

but i kept writing what maddie told me

to write where did you go

and why did you have to leave and what

are you doing are you having fun with us

are you jumping are you dancing are you

running fast please come back we miss

you

love madison jones i dropped the pencil

maddie what what are you gonna do with

this

i tried to clear the shake from my voice

and it took my flexing

every muscle in my body even cracked my

toes

just to try to keep the tears inside my

face thank goodness her back was to me

first i'm gonna bring it to school for

show and tell oh

okay um and then what well after i show

it to the class i was gonna see if maybe

you could send it

send it to the legs maddy threw her head

back her big eyes staring up at me

hold it in patty hold it in um yeah

yes i i will um send it

i kissed her forehead your legs ain't

gonna run away too are they

she asked worry suddenly washing across

her face

no maddie i slapped my legs they ain't

going nowhere

how do you know she asked i didn't have

a good answer to that

and instead toothed my bottom lip to

keep from quivering

i just i just do i eked out barely

i'll prove it how she asked how are you

going to prove it

well i don't know but i'll figure it out

don't say it patty don't say it

i promise i said it

and instantly felt like i messed up like

i said something wrong

i wished i had an invisible cupcake to

stuff in my mouth

something some stupid pretend tea

anything i mean

how was i gonna prove my legs weren't

gonna run away from me

would this be one of those things i was

gonna have to hope maddie just forgot

about

but the pressure of it all was worth it

because the worry on maddie's face

unwound she nodded then hit me with a

gut punchiest of all gut punches

pinky promise oh no

pinky promises for us ain't no joke

they're like contracts

break your pinky promise and people will

make you feel like you're in jail or

something

friendship jail or in this case big

sister jail

maddie held her pinky out looked mine

onto hers hooked mine onto hers

touched thumbs now she knew there was no

way i would let her down

then she got back to business she tapped

the letter

so you know where to send this she

followed

blow after blow after blow killing me

waffle

but this one i couldn't answer at all i

just couldn't

so i just left ran to my room throwing

myself on the bed curled into a ball

breathe patty breathe

crazy thing was the next day at school

we were having a field day and i was

paired up on a relay race team with lou

i know i said i never ran one but this

wasn't like a real relay this was more

just like slapping each other's hands

and running as fast as we could

and after our race it was lou who told

me about his track club

he was in at the time sparks that night

i went home

and asked uncle tony and momly and all

the dots connected

my first club team the rest as they say

is history

or present all i know is that it just

seemed like something somewhere

um legs don't got souls right was

telling me to

do it push me to do it not just for me

but for dad and for ma and for maddie

who

bonus i said thankfully had to answer

for

pinky promise and all turkey wings

mommy made turkey wings every single

night every single

night so it's always funny because when

uncle tony says things like

dinner's almost ready i never have to

ask what we're having

i know what we're having turkey wings

with rice and a veggie

usually broccoli not even turkey breast

or a turkey leg or even a turkey

sandwich

wings only i had never had them before

we came to live with them

and the first night mommy cooked them i

told her i liked them and that was it

it was set in stone turkey wings for

life

mommy kept the kitchen just like she

kept the car clean

germ free scrubbed from top to bottom

with something

sudsy and bright colored like sun yellow

that smelled like rotten lemon

or mutant green that smelled like it

every flower

and the world sneezed i pulled up to the

table

maddie was peeling fat off the meat

cauliflower

cauliflower tonight white broccoli

but not nearly as white as the spotless

dinner plates after i told momly what i

had to

i had to tell her every night which was

that i was sorry for not finishing my

homework and time to help her

we kicked off the dinner small talk and

went and

she kicked off the dinner small talk

with telling us about her favorite

patient

see she got her own business but it

don't make her about

money where she takes care of sick

people emily's expert care

which i think is a terrible name by the

way ain't got no warmth to it

no hug in it i think it should be called

something like

an emily's arms or mobile mom something

that something like that

maddie thinks it should be called momly

to the rescue and well

even though i don't like that name

either it would be at least a true

statement

at least for ma because when me and ma

went to go live with mommy and uncle

tony

it just made sense for mommy to add ma

to her client list

along with the most talked about of them

all mr warren

who momly calls the sweetest old man

alive but i don't really know

if my mother is the sweetest old lady

alive

and mom wasn't really happy about none

of it at first

just because she don't really like

nobody taking care of her

but at least it's family and not some

stranger

even though she can definitely uh be a

lot to deal with

actually now they think about it maybe a

stranger would have been better i bet

during those first few visits

matt almost drove momly to jesus too or

off a cliff

well my favorite patient besides your

mother mommy clarified about mr warren

was an old man who had alzheimer's which

basically just means you can't remember

too much

no more she said sometimes random stuff

popped into his head

but usually he doesn't know where he is

even though he's in his own house

so she just stays in bed for now and

mommy goes over there and feeds him

and makes sure he's all cleaned up while

his daughter runs around taking care of

errands and stuff

molly's been looking out for him for a

long time

i went to use the bathroom and when i

got back to the room he was up out of

bed

tearing the room apart looking for

something he was yanking clothes out of

the closet and snatching pictures off

the wall

so i asked him what he was looking for

and he said something to buff the floor

with

buff the floor uncle tony asked i was

just as confused

that's what he said when i told him the

floor didn't need buffing he explained

that he had

mouths to feed and who was going to take

care of the family

mommy laid the napkin in her lap all

proper like she was eating in front of

folks she ain't know

eventually i got to calm him down

brought him back to bed where he seemed

to just melt back into himself

and i put everything back in the closet

and hung the pictures back in the wall

she shook her head just one of those

days poor guy

mommy took a breath then turned to me

speaking of pictures on the wall patty

how's the whole friday thing going mommy

now pushed her

fork through one of the tiny trees tired

to sit in her cheeks make her face look

saggy

it wouldn't have surprised me if she

fell asleep right there at the table

it's frida right i nodded i'd asked her

if she knew about frida when she

first got the assignment but she said

she didn't she said she had seen her in

pictures

but that was pretty much it it's going

okay i told her

she seemed like a cool lady but not as

cool as you uncle tony said

wiggling his eyebrows i wasn't sure if

momly was done small-talking me about

the school project

but if she wasn't uncle tony definitely

ended any chance of it continuing

because he awkwardly made a hard left

into a totally different conversation uh

how was practice

frida de track frida to track practice

worst transition of all time this is why

mom leaves the small talk queen and

uncle tony's the cartoon character

but i knew uncle tony wasn't trying to

be rude he

and that's his jumpiness was all about

my second place loss at the meet on

saturday

which by the way wasn't at he wasn't at

had an emergency at the office he does

something called

information technology which is it for

short or

it even shorter which is what he says

which just means he works with computers

and apparently

sometimes computers have emergencies

anyway all this weird dinnertime chat

was his way of knocking on the door of

my brain like

hey is it okay to come in

and if it wasn't for practice today

maybe i'd still be mad

i told him momly and maddie about i told

him and momly and maddie about being

chosen

by the four by 800 relay team and doing

the waltz

the waltz like the ball gown pinky and

the air dance

pinky in the air was tony's way of

saying fancy

yep it was to teach us something about

being in tune with each other

like knowing each other so well that we

don't have to think about the handoff

maddie sweetheart eat your cauliflower

mommy's exhausted boy slid between me

and uncle tony's

maddie groaned eat your cauliflower i

repeated

it'll make you strong uncle tony

following my lead curled his arms up

making

muscles jump maddie smiled well if doing

the waltz is all it takes

then let me show you how to run even

faster uncle tony said

and as soon as he said it he braced

himself

thinking he would cat thinking i would

catch feelings

and if i thought he was saying i don't

run fast enough

and judging by saturday i don't not fast

enough

but it was cool uncle tony i'm not mad

no more

i told him getting straight to the point

so he could stop acting weird

his shoulders dropped rolled back as if

he just unbuttoned

a button of his pants after a big meal

oh thank god

he exhaled the words and i smirked and

tapped my fork on maddy's plate

she stabbed a piece of cauliflower

lifted it to her mouth uncle tony

continued

so yeah if you want to run faster try

this

he scooted out from the table mommy

already frowning at whatever he was

doing and then

it came the strangest thing i've seen

uncle tony do

maybe ever the running man and

offbeat and

all over the place maddie bursted out

laughing

white mush in her mouth and i was right

behind her my laughter scrubbing away

the last 10 of sad in me uncle tony

lurked forward

pumping his legs panting

and i kept snickering my uncle a

straight up clown

alright guys good luck on your quiz and

i'll see you for chapter seven