Family dinner at the Impact house

They slowly wheel the old man up the stairs into the Impact residence. Inside it is bustling with activity. People laughing and talking loud over each other while children chase each other up and down the massive stairwell. They settle grandpa "Kicks" in the living room in front of the television. His daughter seems concerned that he will be in a separate room from the rest of the family. "Now Dad - are you sure that you will be ok here?". "Yeah I'm fine - stop fussing over me!" he replies with frustration in his voice. From somewhere else in the house somebody is calling the daughter's name - "Maque!, Maque!". "Yes I am here in the living room with dad!" she yells back. A young man in his thirties appears in the doorway. "Oh - there you are. Listen - you cannot leave our guests like that. There are people that have run out of snacks and I just think you should be more sensitive.". Maque frowns and her face turns to stone. "Listen Dad just arrived and I was just making him comfortable". The man stops and shifts his eyes to the old man in the wheel chair. He musters a quarter smile and mutters: "Dad" while he attempts a nod that is supposed to reflect a fake respect which he doesn't feel. The old man looks up and responds with "Hi Pierre - how are you?" The old man always use his son-in-law's middle name because he knows it irritates him. The young man utters a frustrated "always better" and then turns back to his wife. "Now listen will you please come tend to our guests - I need them to be comfortable - you know how much business they give us every year". Maque's shoulders drop like a slave that resigns herself to her fate. "Ok - I am coming". The man speeds off to another room. The woman turns to her dad and her face softens for a moment. "Dad - I am sorry - you know Web is very stressed and having guests always puts him on edge. "I'll be ok in here. You go tend to your guests". She looks relieved like he gave her a hall pass to leave him.

Just then the doorbell rings and the children fling the door open. One little boy shouts into the house - "grandpa Ums is here!". The male voice responds. "Thanks Port - put him in the living room - with grandpa Kicks". They wheel the second chair next to the first one and the children run out of the room. Before the ruddy boy leaves he turns around and sticks his tongue out at the newcomer. "You little brat! Come here and I will teach you a lesson!". The old man shakes his crooked finger but the boy just laughs and runs out. "Children have no more respect nowadays. I should take him out of my will!". Kicks stares at Ums until the old man quiets down and turn to him. "What are you staring at?" Kicks smiles and says: "Hi Ums - how are you doing. You look tired". The slightly older man snaps back - "yeah well you are no spring chicken yourself!". Kicks keep smiling: "you know Ums if I am not mistaken you get a little more grumpy every year". He decides to change the subject for the sake of peace. "I guess you heard about my father passing away?" Ums seemed disarmed by this change in subject. "Yes I am sorry - Higgins was a good man."

Maque breezes back from her shift of filling glasses and responding with "Oh that's wonderful". She greets Ums with a kiss and then asks. "I am just checking on my two favorite people to see if you are comfortable". Ums grumpily responds. "I don't know why we must be in here - why can't we mingle with the rest of the people. Is there something wrong with us?". Maque looks down and to the left when she answers. "Ums - Web feels that you might start inappropriate conversations and he thinks it would be best if you could hang out here. Next time we will all have a family dinner again. So are you both comfortable?". Kicks suddenly looks very sad and responds with "yes dear we are comfortable - you can go now". After a few more pleasantries she excuses herself.

Ums mutters something about how he use to host bigger and grander parties than the son-in-law could ever dream of. That's when Kicks responds: "Ums our job is not to host those parties any more - our job is to be comfortable and watch television". Ums looks at him for a few moments and then responds with "you know - I never did like you". Kicks smiles "Yes Ums I know - you've been telling me that for a few decades now". A few moments silence then Kicks changes the subject again - "hey there's a game on - you want to watch?" Ums looks at him again and then turns to the television and with sadness in his voice says - "Yes lets see whats on"...