ELLISON AND HERMAN IN CONVERSATION

    To produce a mighty book, you must choose 

    a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume 

    can ever be written on the flea, though many 

    there be who have tried it.

                   -Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

ELLISON AND PRETTY IS

"Papa, I'm worried about these little girls."

                           -Ellison Headley Bremyer, reading Maggie Mitchell's Pretty Is at 36,000 feet.

ELLISON & MURIEL

Muriel's not been doing so well these days, so we're posting (reposting? I don't even know anymore) this older pic of one of the boy's first real exchanges with his kitty, Muriel. Pals from the beginning, to the end.

ELLISON, A.K.A., LITTLE BROTHER

-Papa, have you seen the movie Undercover Brother?
-I have, boy. It's quite good, actually. Very smart.
-Well, I liked it, too. And I think that, from now on, I want to be known as "Little Brother."
-"Little Brother"? You know that onesie you're wearing is a hand-me-down, don't you, boy?
-I do, Papa. But you are always telling me that the meaning of a word or words is flexible -- not fixed. Right?
-Right. And yes, I do say that.
-Well, then Little Brother doesn't have to refer to a younger male sibling, right?
-Yeah, that's right, Little Brother. That's right.

LEAVING KINGSTON

Back on the Knutsford Express, away from Kingston this time. What an extraordinary week.... 

In other news, I plan on pitching a new show to the DIY Network: Extreme Diapering, Jamaica. (If you really want to know more, I'll tell you.)

ELLISON AND THE WHALE

This morning, early, Mummy went to Canada. We thought we'd take a few pictures to send to her. Seemed like a good day to wear one of our Moby Dick shirts.

ELLISON'S FIRST IN-N-OUT BURGER

Those in the know understand that, if you're into this sort of thing, In-N-Out does indeed make a tasty burger. And although the boy didn't actually get to gum on any burger or fries during this, his first trip to the left coast, he was clearly invested in keeping his hands on that greasy bag. Chip off the ol' block and whatnot, y'know? 

"Papa, I love you. Really, I do. But you gotta get your stinking hands away from my burger. Seriously. I will cut you."

-Ellison Headley Bremyer

MISSISSIPPI GODDAMN: A DIALOGUE

-Papa, I thought that was a bad word. The one she just sang?

-Which word? . . . . Oh. I didn't realize that had come on.

-It's a bad word, right, Papa?

-Well. Yes. It is. But there are times, boy. . . . There are times when it's okay. Okay, or even more. Okay or even right to say a word like that.

-Is this one of them, Papa?

-For her, boy. It is. It was.
-Who is her, Papa? 
-Oh. Right. Of course you don't know. Her name was Nina Simone.
-Simone? That's my Auntie Simone singing?
-No, boy. It isn't. It's a different Simone. Your auntie may have been named for her, but your auntie wouldn't say that word, okay? 
-She wouldn't, Papa?
-No. She wouldn't. And you shouldn't either. Don't repeat it. Okay, boy? It's not okay.
-But it's okay for her? The other Simone?
-Nina. Yes. It's okay for her. She . . . I don't know. Meant it. And she deserved it. And she earned it.
-Why?
-Why what, boy?
-Why did she mean it? How did she earn it?
-Well. Things were . . . bad, boy. Very bad. When she wrote the song, I mean. When she first sang those words. When she kept singing those words. They were in response to some very bad things.
-How, Papa? How were they bad?
-I don't know, boy. Don't ask me that. They were . . . just . . . bad.
-How, Papa? Why won't you tell me?
-Okay, boy. Listen. Out there? Outside of this house? Sometimes, some people don't like other people. And that happens for stupid reasons. Many stupid reasons. For the stupidest of reasons. And this has happened for a very long time. In this country. Around the world. And it keeps happening. And it will keep happening. People not liking other people for the stupidest reasons. And because of it, some people treat other people badly. Very badly. They hurt them. For no reason, they hurt them. And worse. It is not earned when that happens. But it is meant. Very much so, it is meant. But I need you to understand, boy. It isn't earned. It isn't deserved.
-I know, Papa. I hear things. I hear you and Mummy talking sometimes when you don't know it.
-Lord. I suppose you do, boy.
-But that was a long time ago, right, Papa? 
-When she sang this song? Yeah. Yes. It was.
-In the past then, Papa?
-In the past? What do you mean, boy?
-That these things are in the past. That things are better. Now, they're better? Better than when she sang?
-Hmmm. Well, yes. I suppose they are sometimes. Better, I mean. But like I was telling you, these things aren't only in the past. Aren't only in the song she's singing. They're here. They remain with us. Different, perhaps. At least some of the time. But too often the same. 

*     *     *     *

-Do you know what I am saying, boy? About the past? 
-No. I don't, Papa.
-Well. Okay. Let's try this. A very smart man, a writer, once said that the past isn't dead, like some people say. He said that the past isn't even past yet.
-That doesn't make any sense, Papa.
-No. I suppose it doesn't. But I'm trying to tell you something, boy. Something important. The past. Ghosts. They are all around us. And they haunt us still. And they are dangerous. They can hurt you, boy. Don't listen when people tell you ghosts aren't real. They are. And it destroys me that I can't keep them from you. And it destroys me that I have to tell you this. But I do. I have to.

ELLISON AT FIVE MONTHS

"Papa, let's get up early, when the light is just so. Maybe take a few pictures?" 

— Ellison Headley Bremyer

STEALTH

I go to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. 
The boy is on his back. 
I come back into the room. 
The boy is on his stomach. 

This is his new trick. He pulled it on Mummy last night. It seems to bring him great joy.

Hashtag not.a.fluke

PEAS. THEY'RE WHAT'S FOR DINNER.

On the afternoon of the fifty-third Jamaican Independence Day, Ellison declares his own independence from an exclusively breast milk diet (minus those few items listed in a previous post below).

PREPPING ELLISON'S FIRST VEGGIES

Mummy and the boy hit up the Farmers' Market (or is it "Farmer's Market" or perhaps "Farmers Market"? Has this been settled?) this a.m. and are now prepping veggies for tonight (see below), which will be ELLISON'S FIRST SOLID (well, pureed) FOOD.

Minus the fried plantains, pineapple, yam, Dragon Stout, sugar cane, ugli fruit, jerk pork, watermelon, stew beef, Red Stripe, festival, ackee, mango, bammy, ortanique, callaloo, Rum Punch, green banana, coconut jelly, patties, bread fruit, and curry goat that Grandpa Pops and I fed him in Jamaica. But Mummy doesn't need to know about that, so shhhhhhhhh!

(Technically, the alcohol listed above isn't a solid, of course. But since it did deviate a bit from Ellison's standard diet, I thought I'd include it.)

RIDIN' DIRTY

While Papa prefers the outward-facing boy, Mummy still prefers the inward-facing boy (because it facilitates a nice cuddle). 

The boy likes both. 

ANOTHER ONE TO SHARE WITH ELLISON'S PROM DATE

Toes, glorious toes! 

PAPA KISSES ARE THICK

Papa kisses are thick and Ellison doesn't quite know what to do with them.

I DON'T NEED A NAP: A DIALOGUE

– Papa? 
– Yes, boy?
– You know I'm not tired, right?
– Yes, boy. I do know. You've told me several times. But even so, will you do me a favor?
– Yes, Papa.
– Will you close your eyes for me? Just for a little bit? Just close them for one minute for me.
– Yes, Papa. I will. For you. But I won't fall asleep. You know that, right, Papa?
– I do, boy. But it will be good to close your eyes. Just for a little bit. To rest. You don't have to sleep. Okay, boy?
– OK, Papa.

BABY FRONTPACK: A DIALOGUE

– Papa? Why you look so serious?
– I'm just trying to figure out the cameraphone, boy. You know I don't know about these things.
– I do, Papa. But where's Mummy? She knows how to do these things. Ask her, like you normally do.
– She's not here, boy. And she'll want to see that we've figured out this new baby carrier, or baby wearer, or baby backpack, or whatever it's called.
– Baby frontpack, Papa. That's what it's called.
– Thanks, boy. Do you like it? Are you comfortable?
– I do, Papa. And I am. And I like to be able to see what you see. Better than in the stroller.
– Good. I'm glad, boy.
– Can we go for a walk, Papa? I want to see the outside from up here.
– Yes, boy. We can. Should we go now?
– Yes, Papa. Let's go now.

As we walked around the block, I thought a lot about Ripley and
her battle with the Alien Queen. (Hey fellow nerds: y'all feel me?)

Hey. Hey. Hey. Stop all that smilin'.

When Auntie Simone visited, Ellison refused to sleep. Can you blame the boy? He doesn't get to see her all that often, so he wanted to spend every minute he could with her.

Fun Fact #187: Whenever I play this video, Ellison starts laughing. He's not looking at the video, he's just listening, so whenever he hears Auntie Simone's voice, it makes him so happy he's just gotta laugh....

MY UNCLE IS THE BEST

We've been away from the blog for a while, Ellison and I. So this morning, the boy suggested that he put on one of his favorite onesies -- "favorite" because it expresses his deeply felt conviction that, indeed, his uncle is the best -- and get a photo-shoot going. He gathered his friends (Wally the Bear, Simone the Giraffe, and Turtle-Man (TM)), put on some John Coltrane, and just started working the camera. It was inspiring -- a cross between Vogue-era-Madonna and Zoolander.

It was Ellison's art that demanded he get back in front of the camera. That, and Grandma B's ever-so-gentle nudging that "I NEED MORE PICTURES!" (That's a quote.)

And by the way, whichever uncle is looking at these images? YOU are the uncle the shirt is referencing!

Riffing on Zoolander's "Blue Steel," Ellison calls this look "Tiger Balm/Bomb."