{"id":259,"date":"2022-12-06T15:12:25","date_gmt":"2022-12-06T20:12:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/?post_type=chapter&p=259"},"modified":"2023-03-29T19:50:18","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T23:50:18","slug":"259","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/chapter\/259\/","title":{"raw":"Frontlines","rendered":"Frontlines"},"content":{"raw":"Carmen sat in the library, staring at her laptop. It was 2:42pm on a Friday afternoon and the place was nearly empty. Normally she would be at school during this time, but she decided to take one more week off to get back into a routine. Besides, she loved the company of old books.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThings were slowly improving and she had started to see her friend Macy again. The past few weeks have felt long and the sun wasn't letting up on beating down.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen wondered how hot it would get before things started shutting down. She was fortunate to have a home with air conditioning, but many places in the area were living outside of the comfort zone. Jerry\u2019s Diner down the block was just one of those many places. She knew this firsthand; last summer Carmen spent most of her days there, pouring coffee and baking the morning pastries. She couldn\u2019t imagine working there now in this heat.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThey kept calling for rain, but the sky had been clear for days. Her mom usually had the TV tuned to the news when she got home and the hottest topic was always the weather. Carmen had come to the conclusion that a call for rain was less of an honest prediction and more of a practice in the art of wishful thinking, a verbal rain dance, of some sort. Can you speak a better forecast into existence? Glen Clyde on Channel 8 seemed to believe so.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAs she was staring out the window, a red minivan was attempting to parallel park. A bird was hopping along the sidewalk. Carmen\u2019s phone buzzed.<\/span>\r\n\r\nHer mom needed canned tomatoes for dinner. Carmen sighed. Gathering her things, she decided to walk the long way home.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u2026<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cFancy seeing you here.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nOn the way home, she passed by the community centre, where a water fountain sat in the middle of a small garden. She used to come here with her father when she was younger. Her elementary school was only a few blocks away, and they would often walk through the park on the way home after school. On a nice day, they would stop and Carmen would pick dandelions to put in a jar for her mom at home. On a rainy day, they would walk past briskly.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cHow are you?\u201d The man asked.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen looked up from the bench where she sat. Squinting, it took her a minute to recognize who stood beside her.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cDr. Newman?\u201d Carmen asked.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cMind if I sit?\u201d Before she had a chance to respond, George sat beside her.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen shifted further down the bench to leave more room. George placed his briefcase on the ground and sat down with a heavy sigh. For a moment they both just sat and stared ahead at the dry fountain. Keeping it full would be a significant waste.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry to bother you,\u201d George began. \u201cI was just on my way home from my shift and it\u2019s been a bit of a, uh, stressful few months.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nUnsure of what to say, Carmen nodded her head.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cYou know Carmen, your dad was a great fella and I\u2019m really sorry you've lost him, especially under such circumstances. Did you know I attended your parents' wedding?\u201d George asked.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI didn\u2019t know,\u201d she said, still staring at the fountain.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI don\u2019t know whether your parents ever told you but when my wife and I first came to Cedar Grove your mother was part of the welcoming committee. She got along really well with my wife, Helen, and made us feel like the community was pleased to have us settle down here. Pete and Mary were just getting married and invited us to come to the wedding. Things seemed a lot less complicated back then. I looked after your mom during her pregnancies and delivered your brother Josh. I was right there when you came into the world, so I guess we have known each other for a long time. Your dad and I never really saw eye to eye, though, on a lot of things... the environment, politics, oil and gas... we kind of drifted apart over the years. But I\u2019m really sorry about what happened to him. How are you doing?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI\u2019m okay,\u201d Carmen replied, but her voice fell flat. \u201cI just feel kind of useless right now. It\u2019s so hot and things just feel like they keep getting worse and I don't know\u2026\u201d Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words to say.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cYes, I hear you. I share some of that feeling of being overwhelmed by it all. You know they say the best antidote to despair is action. I have been thinking for a while that maybe we should organize a Cedar Grove environment committee to talk about what we might do locally to lessen the impact of the heat and whatever else is coming at us. What do you think? Is that something you or some of your friends might want to be involved in?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know\u2026 We could try and at least just start the conversation.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nGeorge wiped his brow. The sun was starting to take its toll. \u201cThat\u2019s half the work, you know. Just bringing people together.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI don\u2019t even know what that would look like.\u201d Carmen said, her thoughts trailing off.<\/span>\r\n\r\nGeorge stood and picked up his briefcase.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cLet me have a crack at it and I\u2019ll see what I can figure out,\u201d George said. \u201cTake care of yourself, Carmen. And say hi to your mom for me. I hope she\u2019s well.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nAs George walked away Carmen checked her watch. The time read 4:49. She was expected home in eleven minutes. Eyes widening, Carmen ran to the grocery store.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u2026<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cPlease turn to page 286.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe buzzing of the room began to die down as the teacher began to speak. Carmen had sat in her usual spot in the front left side, but slunk further down in her seat than usual. The past month had taken its toll and she still didn't quite feel her usual self \u2013 she felt a bit more anxious, a bit more vocal, and a bit more unsure about the way things were.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen stared out the window at the cars passing by on the street. The class droned on, but her mind was somewhere else. Things felt hazy and the heat didn't help.<\/span>\r\n\r\nShe tuned in and out, catching only snippets of her teacher\u2019s monotone lecture: \u201c...trees are an important part of maintaining our ecosystem, but...\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen used to love her science classes but after getting back to school, she was having a more difficult time trying to focus. There were too many reminders of the way things used to be when her father was around.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cNext week, we\u2019re going to look at the importance and implications of tree clearing.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nSuddenly the bell rang and the world around her came back into focus.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWait, what did I just miss?\u00a0<\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\nAround her, everyone began to gather their things, shoving books into backpacks and squeaking chairs back into place.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cDon\u2019t forget to read chapter five for next class!\u201d The teacher called out. \u201cI will be expecting you to know the key terms that are in bold at the end of the chapter. Enjoy the weekend!\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen raised herself from her seat as students began to shuffle out the door. She went up to her teacher.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry Mr. Klein,\u201d she uttered. \u201cI think I fell asleep.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it, Carmen,\u201d he replied. \u201cJust make sure you try to read the chapter over the weekend. We have another quiz coming up, but if you need more time please let me know \u2013 I\u2019m sure we can work something out.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cWhy were you talking about tree clearing?\u201d Carmen asked.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s part of the new curriculum,\u201d he replied, gathering various papers that were strewn across his desk. \u201cIt\u2019s not about tree clearing itself, but clearing trees for pipelines. It\u2019s the first important measure taken before they start building the access roads. It\u2019s important to know, especially for the area we live in.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cBut don\u2019t we need trees to survive?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cWell, yes, of course we do. But they'll grow back. We need pipelines too. How else do you expect things to stay up and running?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nToo tired to argue, Carmen left the room. She wasn't convinced about what her teacher had to say and she wanted to argue \u2013 she wanted to express her frustration, but she didn\u2019t quite have the energy to do so. Carmen decided to walk home to cool down. Ironic, given the temperature.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOn the way, she decided to head towards her friend Macy\u2019s house. They had known each other since preschool and Macy was planning on moving away for university after their last school year. As much excitement as Carmen had for her, she couldn\u2019t quite help but feel a bit upset that Macy was leaving. She still didn\u2019t know what she was doing after graduation.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cHey Macy! Are you here?\u201d Carmen called out after letting herself into the house.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cIn my bedroom,\u201d she replied from down the hall.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen slid off her shoes and creaked open Macy\u2019s door. She was sitting on her bed\u00a0 and reading, as usual.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d Macy asked.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cDo you know what they\u2019re teaching in science class?\u201d Carmen said, almost yelling as her frustration boiled. \u201cThey\u2019re literally teaching us that clearing trees for pipelines is a good thing. Did you learn that last semester?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cUh, no?\u201d Macy replied, her face scrunching up in confusion. \u201cAre you serious?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI wish I wasn\u2019t,'' Carmen replied. \u201cWhat is going on in this town? This place keeps heating up and nobody is doing anything. Now they expect us to just accept the fact that destroying the environment is the best thing to do to keep things \u2018up and running\u2019. Do you know what Mr. Klein said to me? He said: \u2018They\u2019ll grow back\u2019\u201d.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMacy shut her book and tossed it onto her side table.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cMacy, what am I gonna do when you leave? How will I ever survive in this town without you?\u201d Carmen asked, tears brimming in her eyes. She sat on the end of Macy\u2019s bed and stared ahead at the wall.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cThen let\u2019s do something,\u201d Macy said sitting up. \u201cI won\u2019t leave you here with nothing.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen let her frustration pour out of her as she sat on the end of her friend\u2019s bed. For the first time in the past month, she felt like things might get better.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThey have to get better,<\/em> she told herself. Even if we have to make it.\u00a0<\/em><\/span>","rendered":"

Carmen sat in the library, staring at her laptop. It was 2:42pm on a Friday afternoon and the place was nearly empty. Normally she would be at school during this time, but she decided to take one more week off to get back into a routine. Besides, she loved the company of old books.<\/span><\/p>\n

Things were slowly improving and she had started to see her friend Macy again. The past few weeks have felt long and the sun wasn’t letting up on beating down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen wondered how hot it would get before things started shutting down. She was fortunate to have a home with air conditioning, but many places in the area were living outside of the comfort zone. Jerry\u2019s Diner down the block was just one of those many places. She knew this firsthand; last summer Carmen spent most of her days there, pouring coffee and baking the morning pastries. She couldn\u2019t imagine working there now in this heat.<\/span><\/p>\n

They kept calling for rain, but the sky had been clear for days. Her mom usually had the TV tuned to the news when she got home and the hottest topic was always the weather. Carmen had come to the conclusion that a call for rain was less of an honest prediction and more of a practice in the art of wishful thinking, a verbal rain dance, of some sort. Can you speak a better forecast into existence? Glen Clyde on Channel 8 seemed to believe so.<\/span><\/p>\n

As she was staring out the window, a red minivan was attempting to parallel park. A bird was hopping along the sidewalk. Carmen\u2019s phone buzzed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her mom needed canned tomatoes for dinner. Carmen sighed. Gathering her things, she decided to walk the long way home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFancy seeing you here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On the way home, she passed by the community centre, where a water fountain sat in the middle of a small garden. She used to come here with her father when she was younger. Her elementary school was only a few blocks away, and they would often walk through the park on the way home after school. On a nice day, they would stop and Carmen would pick dandelions to put in a jar for her mom at home. On a rainy day, they would walk past briskly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you?\u201d The man asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen looked up from the bench where she sat. Squinting, it took her a minute to recognize who stood beside her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Newman?\u201d Carmen asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMind if I sit?\u201d Before she had a chance to respond, George sat beside her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen shifted further down the bench to leave more room. George placed his briefcase on the ground and sat down with a heavy sigh. For a moment they both just sat and stared ahead at the dry fountain. Keeping it full would be a significant waste.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to bother you,\u201d George began. \u201cI was just on my way home from my shift and it\u2019s been a bit of a, uh, stressful few months.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Unsure of what to say, Carmen nodded her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know Carmen, your dad was a great fella and I\u2019m really sorry you’ve lost him, especially under such circumstances. Did you know I attended your parents’ wedding?\u201d George asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know,\u201d she said, still staring at the fountain.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know whether your parents ever told you but when my wife and I first came to Cedar Grove your mother was part of the welcoming committee. She got along really well with my wife, Helen, and made us feel like the community was pleased to have us settle down here. Pete and Mary were just getting married and invited us to come to the wedding. Things seemed a lot less complicated back then. I looked after your mom during her pregnancies and delivered your brother Josh. I was right there when you came into the world, so I guess we have known each other for a long time. Your dad and I never really saw eye to eye, though, on a lot of things… the environment, politics, oil and gas… we kind of drifted apart over the years. But I\u2019m really sorry about what happened to him. How are you doing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m okay,\u201d Carmen replied, but her voice fell flat. \u201cI just feel kind of useless right now. It\u2019s so hot and things just feel like they keep getting worse and I don’t know\u2026\u201d Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words to say.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I hear you. I share some of that feeling of being overwhelmed by it all. You know they say the best antidote to despair is action. I have been thinking for a while that maybe we should organize a Cedar Grove environment committee to talk about what we might do locally to lessen the impact of the heat and whatever else is coming at us. What do you think? Is that something you or some of your friends might want to be involved in?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know\u2026 We could try and at least just start the conversation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

George wiped his brow. The sun was starting to take its toll. \u201cThat\u2019s half the work, you know. Just bringing people together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t even know what that would look like.\u201d Carmen said, her thoughts trailing off.<\/span><\/p>\n

George stood and picked up his briefcase.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet me have a crack at it and I\u2019ll see what I can figure out,\u201d George said. \u201cTake care of yourself, Carmen. And say hi to your mom for me. I hope she\u2019s well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As George walked away Carmen checked her watch. The time read 4:49. She was expected home in eleven minutes. Eyes widening, Carmen ran to the grocery store.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease turn to page 286.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The buzzing of the room began to die down as the teacher began to speak. Carmen had sat in her usual spot in the front left side, but slunk further down in her seat than usual. The past month had taken its toll and she still didn’t quite feel her usual self \u2013 she felt a bit more anxious, a bit more vocal, and a bit more unsure about the way things were.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen stared out the window at the cars passing by on the street. The class droned on, but her mind was somewhere else. Things felt hazy and the heat didn’t help.<\/span><\/p>\n

She tuned in and out, catching only snippets of her teacher\u2019s monotone lecture: \u201c…trees are an important part of maintaining our ecosystem, but…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen used to love her science classes but after getting back to school, she was having a more difficult time trying to focus. There were too many reminders of the way things used to be when her father was around.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNext week, we\u2019re going to look at the importance and implications of tree clearing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly the bell rang and the world around her came back into focus.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wait, what did I just miss?\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Around her, everyone began to gather their things, shoving books into backpacks and squeaking chairs back into place.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t forget to read chapter five for next class!\u201d The teacher called out. \u201cI will be expecting you to know the key terms that are in bold at the end of the chapter. Enjoy the weekend!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen raised herself from her seat as students began to shuffle out the door. She went up to her teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry Mr. Klein,\u201d she uttered. \u201cI think I fell asleep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it, Carmen,\u201d he replied. \u201cJust make sure you try to read the chapter over the weekend. We have another quiz coming up, but if you need more time please let me know \u2013 I\u2019m sure we can work something out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy were you talking about tree clearing?\u201d Carmen asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s part of the new curriculum,\u201d he replied, gathering various papers that were strewn across his desk. \u201cIt\u2019s not about tree clearing itself, but clearing trees for pipelines. It\u2019s the first important measure taken before they start building the access roads. It\u2019s important to know, especially for the area we live in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut don\u2019t we need trees to survive?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yes, of course we do. But they’ll grow back. We need pipelines too. How else do you expect things to stay up and running?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Too tired to argue, Carmen left the room. She wasn’t convinced about what her teacher had to say and she wanted to argue \u2013 she wanted to express her frustration, but she didn\u2019t quite have the energy to do so. Carmen decided to walk home to cool down. Ironic, given the temperature.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the way, she decided to head towards her friend Macy\u2019s house. They had known each other since preschool and Macy was planning on moving away for university after their last school year. As much excitement as Carmen had for her, she couldn\u2019t quite help but feel a bit upset that Macy was leaving. She still didn\u2019t know what she was doing after graduation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey Macy! Are you here?\u201d Carmen called out after letting herself into the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn my bedroom,\u201d she replied from down the hall.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen slid off her shoes and creaked open Macy\u2019s door. She was sitting on her bed\u00a0 and reading, as usual.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d Macy asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know what they\u2019re teaching in science class?\u201d Carmen said, almost yelling as her frustration boiled. \u201cThey\u2019re literally teaching us that clearing trees for pipelines is a good thing. Did you learn that last semester?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh, no?\u201d Macy replied, her face scrunching up in confusion. \u201cAre you serious?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I wasn\u2019t,” Carmen replied. \u201cWhat is going on in this town? This place keeps heating up and nobody is doing anything. Now they expect us to just accept the fact that destroying the environment is the best thing to do to keep things \u2018up and running\u2019. Do you know what Mr. Klein said to me? He said: \u2018They\u2019ll grow back\u2019\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Macy shut her book and tossed it onto her side table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMacy, what am I gonna do when you leave? How will I ever survive in this town without you?\u201d Carmen asked, tears brimming in her eyes. She sat on the end of Macy\u2019s bed and stared ahead at the wall.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen let\u2019s do something,\u201d Macy said sitting up. \u201cI won\u2019t leave you here with nothing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen let her frustration pour out of her as she sat on the end of her friend\u2019s bed. For the first time in the past month, she felt like things might get better.<\/span><\/p>\n

They have to get better,<\/em> she told herself. Even if we have to make it.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1756,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-259","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":174,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1756"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2875,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/259\/revisions\/2875"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/174"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/259\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=259"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=259"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}