Big+Lie+Amber+VanPinxteren

Amber VanPinxteren
Big Lie project for Film 311, January 24, 2011 This photo is weird and I hate it. I don’t know why my Aunt Debbie even took a picture of this moment; my aunt is a little crazy. Debbie has this photo on her fridge at home. This was the day that my cousin Anna’s dog ran away, in November of 1994. Remy, the dog, ran away after my uncle Don accidentally left the back gate open when he taking out the garbage. Anyways, I had to ask Debbie about the story behind this photo and this is what she told me: Debbie said that she and Don had had Remy for about two years before she got pregnant with Anna. Once Anna was born, she became attached to Remy, and Remy to her. As a baby, Anna would just stare at Remy all day, studying him, and she would fuss when he wasn’t around. Debbie told me that her and Anna went out looking for Remy while Don stayed home in case Remy came back. She said that Anna had not understood what was happening when she took her to their regular park without Remy and gave Anna a dog treat to try and lure Remy back. Debbie took this photo as she was telling Anna what had happened. I know, a little psychotic, right? So right here Anna is just about to burst into tear s, clutching onto Remy’s treat like it’s the last memory of Remy she’ll ever have. No kid that age should ever have to know that kind of sorrow, or have to relive it every time she goes by her fridge. I have absolutely no idea why Debbie would 1) even take this picture or 2) proudly display it on a fridge. At least try to get Anna to smile for the picture so you don’t have Remy’s disappearance living in infamy! The good news is that Remy came back home while Anna and Debbie were at the park. I think it would have been worse if Debbie kept the picture and displayed it if they didn’t find Remy, but Debbie took the picture as she was telling Anna that Remy was lost, not knowing for sure that they would indeed find Remy. So Debbie proudly displays a picture of the day they lost and found Remy, while her little daughter is on the verge of tears. I do not understand it and I think it’s crazy. Anna tells me how much she hates the picture whenever I go visit and how she has attempted to remove it from the fridge, but Debbie won’t have any of it. It’s no wonder my family hardly ever visits Debbie and her family.