Getting ready to meet my sister and her two daughters for dinner tonight, I thought to myself, Don’t forget the big lollipops!
I put on black tights, a black turtleneck and a skirt. I rummaged through all my drawers. I couldn’t find my slip. I stood in front of the mirror, trying to tell if anyone else would be able to tell I didn’t have a slip on. I twisted this way and that and figured Who Cares. So they see more of my legs than they can already see? I went to the closet and grabbed my cute winter swing coat. The one that reminds me of Prince. Black heavy fabric with gold threaded accents. I put it on and looked in the mirror. The ruffle of my skirt fell a few inches below the bottom of the coat. I just won’t take off the coat, I thought to myself. I grabbed the suckers and off I went.
I pulled into the parking lot at the same time my sister did. I grabbed my purse and got out of the car. My nieces ran up to me.
The 12 1/2 year old showed me the book she was reading. Homer's Iliad.
“Wow, that’s a big book to be reading! That’s just great. You like it?”
“I haven’t read that much yet. Zeus is killing everyone so far. Hopefully it’ll get better.”
The nine year old hugged me and noticed I had straightened my hair. She reached up and stroked it. And then she said, “When I read a book? I only ever read the first chapter and then just the last page. I get the whole thing!”
“Well, that’s a good strategy, I guess. But you should always read the whole book. Come here, you two!”
The 12 1/2 year old was on my left and the nine year old was on my right. I pulled the two of them closer to me, then I pulled the two huge lollipops out of my purse.
As they giggled and hugged me closer, the nine year old reached down and felt the ruffle of my skirt. And then she skipped off and twirled around, arms outstretched, as a heavy November sunset cast a golden glow across her smiling face.
Love your stories.
Posted by: Notesfromthegrove | November 12, 2009 at 11:55 PM
re your niece and the Iliad... When I used to ask my youngest daughter if she'd finished, I mean, truly finished, Macbeth or Huck Finn, she'd say "Why read when you can skim, Mom?" My husband made her a tee shirt with those immortal words scrawled across the back.She still wears it. But she's given up on the skimming. I think.
Posted by: Brenda | November 13, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Thanks, Nftg.
Brenda, I am married to a skimmer, so I can relate. I'll ask him sometimes, "What did you think of my post?"
"It was so long!"
"It was only 800 words!"
"Too long. I skimmed it."
Your husband should sell those t-shirts. I'd buy one!
Posted by: blue girl | November 13, 2009 at 10:33 AM
That's sounds like fun. Bet you looked terrific!
Posted by: Kathleen Maher | November 13, 2009 at 04:36 PM
Kathleen, you KNOW I think of you every time I put on that coat because it's my Prince coat. Also thought a lot about you last night as I was trying to find a Prince song to link to. They're stingy with Prince's music online. Couldn't find an entire song anywhere.
Posted by: blue girl | November 13, 2009 at 05:43 PM
Love. I love your snippets.
Posted by: Claire | November 13, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Thanks for the post, "Delta!" HAHAHAHAhAHAHH.
From: Delta
Posted by: yaya | November 15, 2009 at 05:35 PM