Becky Carter Diary Entry No. 1

January 2

Dear Dad,

Do you remember when I was a little girl, oh about six or seven, and I would write you these little notes? They'd be a little poem I'd learned, or just an 'I love you daddy' or somewhere along those lines? I'd leave them on your desk, or sneak them in your car, for you to find. Then you, in your typical goofy Dad fashion would write back, usually you snuck it under my pillow or put it in my lunchbox before I went to school. It had all kinds of smiley, silly faces and you would always, always respond to my childish affections. Now that you're gone, I like to think you can still read this, somehow. It's comforting for me to write this imagining you will read it, and I can still pour out my woes like I always did, from a kid all the way up to my teenage years. This is me writing to you, even though you're gone. I need your support more then ever, and it feels right, somehow, I can't explain it. This is my first entry, and it's already past two so I'm going to get some sleep.


January 4.

Dear Dad,

Mom got really upset with Dakota today. Dakota had cut her hair without telling Mom or me, and came down for breakfast with her beautiful locks trimmed well above her shoulders. I couldn't believe it, and Mom spilled coffee all over herself. Apparently Dakota did it to impress her boyfriend, to which Mom started yelling about how she couldn't keep up with everything, and now to top everything off Dakota messed her hair up for some stupid boy. I'm not a morning person, you know that(even though you constantly teased me, trying to get a reaction), so I sat there for a minute, trying to get my caffeine deprived brain to work and calm Mom down. Dakota was in tears, so I took a deep breath like you used to, and told everyone to shut up for a minute(I mentioned mornings, right?) "Mom," I said to her, "Dakota should be allowed to get a haircut if she wants, I love her hair as much as you, but in the end it's her hair, not yours, and not mine. She can always grow it out later if she wants. Mom said nothing, just started crying about how stressed she was, with me in college, and we're not sure how to get Dakota through plus pay the bills. I hugged her and told her everything was going to be OK, I would just get a side job filing papers. Mom tried to argue with me but I shushed her and got Dakota over and we all had a group hug, and everyone promises to do better after this. Mom relies on me a lot, Dad, and I find myself increasingly taking charge, being the strong one emotionally, so this is a great outlet for me.
Geez it's late, gonna catch some zzz's.


January 12

Dear Dad,

Guess who stopped by today and is spending the night with me? Your 'third' daughter. Cass has been such a friend through all this, I have no idea how I would have made it. Heck I wouldn't have, putting it honestly. She's amazing. You always liked her the best out of my friends, not because we've been so close since second grade, it's because you see what I see in her. She's a jewel, and has been an absolute rock for me to lean on. Cass is sleeping right now, that's why I'm writing this. I think it's like three in the morning?
So I applied at this store, it's called 'SpeedRun Theater Games and Movies.' Yup, you guessed it, they accepted me, part time. Dad, it's sooooooo boring! They want you to wear this company outfit, and I look horrible in it! They're trying to mimic a movie theater, it's a white shirt, black dress pants or skirt & tights, with a red bowtie. I know, you're probably thinking 'that's right up Becky's alley', and the clothes style are. It's the colors, Dad. Did I mention a yellow vest? With a red bowtie? Ugghh, it's ugly. At least it's a temporary job only. I wear that outfit with the skirt and tights option, and keep my hair loose around my shoulders.
The other day, on my first day, a customer walks in, asking for the 'Knights of Kironia' movies. It's a big franchise, and he wanted the whole set. I didn't like the look of him, he was dressed in old dirty jeans, white tee shirt, sandals, greasy face and even greasier black hair. Unfortunately we only had one, so he responded by throwing a fit right there in the store! He asked why I couldn't get them, and I told him they could be ordered, and would arrive in three days. He started saying how I should be able to get them sooner, and maybe if I would let him get behind the counter he could show me how to do it. He gave a long wink, then said he liked my long hair and freckles. You should have seen my face, Dad. It got beet red, and I told him in no uncertain terms that he was never going behind this counter with me, not on my watch. The nerve of him! I can't believe some people, I wanted to smack him over the head with that 'Knights of Kironia' movie, but I need this job for now. He called me a blonde bimbo then, and asked to see my manager. I swear, Dad, I almost did. I almost picked his precious movie up and hit him across the face with it. That's not what happened though, and really, looking back, people like that should just be ignored, at least the rudeness.
Thankfully Tony is as awesome of a manager as I could have gotten, and he told the weird guy the same thing. I was furious by this time, and had to bit my lip to keep from telling him exactly what I thought. I did glare though, but he had this stupid smirk the whole time, like he was saying, 'You haven't seen the last of me yet.'
He hasn't come back since, and I called him on the number he left, saying the movie set came in, and yes Dad, I was very polite. I kept my, ahem, inherited temper in check. I'll see what happens I guess. Cass got a huge kick out of it, she says I should have given him a good whack. But she's being facetious of course, she knows I need this job. Wow it's late, I need to get to bed.


January 15

Dear Dad,

College studies have been going great, my grades, thankfully, haven't suffered from my part time job. I really love college, learning has always been easy for me, thanks to Mom instilling an early love for reading. Mom's been doing better too, since I started bringing in a little bit of money, which does go far. The job is on Saturdays and Sundays, and it's only five hours a day, so I can still hang with Cass on weekends. She usually comes to the store anyway.
Dakota regrets cutting her hair. Why? She broke up with her boyfriend. He did it this time, and she's pretty tore up about it. Her and I went out for ice cream tonight, had a really good heart to heart. She misses you too, just isn't sure who to talk with. That's been me more and more the last while. You'd really be proud of her, Dad. She wants to be a lawyer like Mom, and her grades have picked up a lot.
I, however, am still aiming for investigative journalism. There's so many things to explore! This world is full of things just waiting for me to come and discover. So many people have interesting stories, and I want to interview them all! And I will, given the chance. Your little girl is growing up, Dad, and I really hope to get this dream job of mine.
One female journalist I admire in particular was Dorothy Thompson, an American in the 1930s, who was the first female foreign journalist to get kicked out of Germany, for her work on checking out the Nazi party. That's what I want to do, Dad. Be fearless, not letting any government, crime syndicate, or corrupt businessman get away with hurting other people. I'm going to kick over the hornet's nest, leave no stone unturned, mano a mano, or me against them. It's important to look out for the people, the common people, and that's my goal. Let people know where the darkness is, shine a light on whoever is seeking to dominate another human being.
Looking over what I wrote, and yeah, I know it's my usual passionate talking about my heart's desires, and that's what I always loved about you Dad. I could talk, and talk, and talk, and you'd always listen.
It's relatively early tonight, but I'm going to go to bed. Have some thinking to do.