Our setting: Church Parking Lot, about 9:30 PM, January 22nd, Tues. Or, if you'd rather I "just get to the point"(*HEAVY SIGH*), last night after the girl scout meeting. It was chilly. Just chilly to the point of sizing people up as to who'd be the best choice to hack open for crawling inside to stay warm, yet not chilly enough to ask around to see who'd brung their pocket knife with them.
I could tell by the number of times my mother had paused the conversation momentarily to say "Ok, time to go" and infinitesimally shifted toward where we were parked that we were about to leave. So, too late to ask her to unlock the church- Which, admittedly, wouldn't have been as big a deal if I hadn't had to pee so bad. As it happened, though, I
did have to pee, with a certain degree of urgency. So, I informed my mother of my intentions and hiked across the street to Walgreen's.
After bouncing inside(my attempt to remain nonchalant while simultaneously moving fast enough for there to be absolutely no risk of wetting my pants) making a beeline towards the bathroom and *ahem* taking care of unfinished business, I was of a mind to get a coke because
- I was in Walgreen's with my wallet in my hand, so to use their facilities and then run without buying anything would have felt wrong and, I think, at least a little bit,
- It has become kind of a routine for Lauren and I to go in before a meeting and get a Welch's Grape juice and a Coke, respectively, so I'm kind of used to having a coke around that time. Fellow Coca-Cola addicts will know what I mean.
So there I am, standing there. I've got my wallet in one hand, other hand hovering over the coke mid-grab, when something gives me pause. There, three slots away from the plastic coke bottle slot, is where the Grape Juice sits. Lauren had told me earlier that she wanted one(though we didn't end up going in before the meeting), and I knew she meant it. That girl will go through Bottles of grape juice like a Hummer through jugs of gasoline. So I grabbed it, too. I brought My coke, and her grape juice up to the counter, like normal, even though she wasn't there to nag and beg pleeeeeaaase Sarah, or put her little girl purse on the counter and dig out coins, having me wait until the cashier juuust starts to squirm until she proudly puts the last dime atop the pile. I get outside and wait in the car for mom and Little bit to get in the car(which does not take long) and surprise her by pulling it out.
The look of Surprise/Excitement that crosses her face does not last long. Nor, perhaps unfortunately, does her silence. But the feeling of "I am an awesome sister" lasted much, much longer. And it wasn't a real big deal. I spent an extra two bucks on a drink I don't like and was probably at least a little bit expected to anyway. Not that awesome. But it made me FEEL awesome. Sure I was still the slightly grouchy/tired big sister who doesn't CARE that you got invited to a birthday party you are soooo excited about, and can't shut you up about it. But it my mind, I was SuperSister, the acne-faced superhero traipsing around making little boys and girls smile with grape juice and knowing just where that sock's missing twin got thrown, and of course I'll help you tie your shoes, Champ, it's not like I have absolutely anything I'd rather be doing with my time.
Perhaps, as well, that feeling carried over to the next day(read; today) and inspired me to oblige my baby sister begging My Mother, Me, ANYONE to teach her how to make "Dose t'ings"(
Ojo de Dios', The Junior's craft for WTD, actually really cool Mexican cultural thing if you'd care to check it out). I taught her, and she's actually pretty good, making recognizable mini Ojo de Dios t'ingies. The ones she made, I swear could have been made by one of the Juniors(9 to 11 year olds), and I find that impressive for a four year old.
This deed, again, made me feel like SuperSister, with the added bonus of having another mini-GS for our Ojo de Dios assembly line(Swaps in bulk, man, swaps in bulk.) It really makes me wonder how good I would feel, as a sister, as a daughter, as a person in general, if I could manage to do, as the title implies, 'One Good Turn a Day'(which also doubles as the boy/cub scout motto, or whatever.) If I could just manage to read to the four year olds, or play Rummy with Lauren, or watch Dan Versus with Caleb, or Play Risk with all of them, how much better would I feel? How cool could that be? If I could just shoehorn in a barbiedoll session with Brynna, right in between Badgework and Homework and Procrastinating against Badgework and Homework, How much happier would we BOTH be? Not to mention the fact that in exactly 28 days I will be SIXTEEN. That's, what? Two and a half years away from college? Tops? THEN how much time will I have for them? ASSUMING I go to college RIGHT here? I don't even know. I do know that the sound of two babies snoring happily, waiting for tomorrow to come so that they can play 'kylanders some more(more on that in a different post soon!), Tell mommy about her wigg'ly toof, 'Read' Axe cop and Dora books some more, is a wonderful, peaceful sound. Almost enough to make me forget that Brynna sneezed right in my face an hour ago.
Good night all, and to all a good "A-CHOO! ew."
-Sarah
