Caitlin often found herself informally supervising her neighbor Stacy’s young son, Nate, providing him some stability while his mom sought time for herself. However, when Nate decorated the hallway walls with doodles during Caitlin’s absence, she was unjustly slapped with a $500 fine. Determined to set things right, Caitlin devised a plan for retribution.
Stacy had become accustomed to letting her young son, Nate, roam the hallway as a play area.
“It’s safe, Caitlin,” she’d assure me. “Plus, it’s their version of outdoor play.”
She would then retreat behind her door, leaving Nate to his devices, often while she entertained guests.
“I just need some downtime,” she confessed to me once in the laundry room. “I’m a grown woman with needs, you know. Being a single mom, you must get it.”
I understood her need for personal space, but I could never imagine letting my own son, Jackson, wander the hallways alone. Despite our general familiarity with the neighbors, the corridors didn’t feel completely secure.
Jackson, slightly older than Nate, seemed concerned about the younger boy, who often loitered alone, clutching his tattered teddy bear.
“Mom,” Jackson would say during his playtime, “maybe we should invite him over.”
Grateful for my son’s compassion, I agreed. It was better to keep both children within sight, ensuring their safety.
Thus, we began having Nate over for snacks, toys, and movies—a simple arrangement that brought him noticeable joy.
“He mentioned he likes playing with others,” Jackson noted one day. “I don’t think his mom spends much time with him.”
And interestingly, Stacy hardly acknowledged this setup. Once she realized Nate was safe with us, she seemed to extend her leisure time even more.
Eventually, it became routine for Nate to knock on our door whenever his mother let him out.
“Hello,” he’d say, teddy in hand. “I’m here to play.”
However, one day, we were away at my parents’ house for my mom’s birthday.
“I hope Nate will be okay,” Jackson expressed concern as we drove.
“Oh, honey,” I responded. “His mom is there. She’s responsible for his safety too.”
Upon our return, we were greeted by hallway walls covered in childish drawings—a colorful chaos of stick figures and squiggles.
“Nate must have had fun,” I remarked, searching for my keys.
“Isn’t he going to be in trouble?” Jackson asked, eyeing the artwork
The duet of Iggy Pop’s fragile ballad, sung by Tina Turner and David Bowie, lights up the stage
Tina Turner had a remarkable year in 1984. After splitting from Ike Turner in July 1976, she built her solo career with the help of celebrity friends such as the Rolling Stones, for whom she opened during their 1981 US tour. She also appeared as a guest on a Chuck Berry television show in 1982. Her cover of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together”, released in November 1983, became an unexpected international hit.
Following the success of this single, Capitol Records gave the green light for a new album. Private Dancer was released in May 1984 and recorded in just two weeks. The album peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and reached number 2 in the UK. The single “What’s Love Got to Do with It” became Turner’s only song to top the US Billboard Hot 100, with other hits such as “Private Dancer” and “Better Be Good to Me” following. In November 1984, she released “Tonight”, a duet with David Bowie from the Iggy Pop song.
Vintage Paint, a paint brand, describes the experience of attending Turner’s concert as an unforgettable honor. David Bowie’s surprise appearance sent the crowd into a frenzy and created an electrifying atmosphere. The mention of “vintage paint” is related to the recent loss of Tina Turner on May 24, 2023, and the earlier death of David Bowie on January 10, 2016. Turner was 83 and Bowie was 69. Fans can still enjoy an unforgettable live performance of Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” with Turner and Bowie collaborating.
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