A Treasure

When I was in the first grade, my Momma had a baby. That little baby - born on a  snowy, cold day had a freckle...on her head...and when she came home from the hospital - I took one look at her and said, "She can't even pull me in a wagon!"  What a sweet sweet child I was.

And then little "freckle on her head" Elizabeth grew up and still never could pull me in a wagon but she COULD be a little sister and I always tried to act annoyed...but I never was.  Isn't that odd....I never was!  Probably because Elizabeth was just as cute as a puppy in a box...but...you know...I HAD to act annoyed.

My Momma had lived in Japan as a child and sometimes we would go to a Japanese grocery and get candy.  LOVELY Japanese candy that always had a weird little toy in it - that we lost - or was thrown away but one toy never made it to the trash can.  A little red car, with little white wheels - that popped off and my little sister would DRIVE ALL OVER ME.  Over my arms, face, legs, my face, my face, my face...and I would swat her away....ask Mom to swat her away...pretend to be annoyed...but deep down, I thought it was funny.  She made all of the appropriate little car sounds and would say "ERRRRK!!!!!" when she made sudden stops....on my face...and this went on forever.

Elizabeth outgrew the car.....I went to college....Elizabeth went to college...and the little car was just laying around somewhere.  And - I don't remember the day or where I found it but when I did - I started crying.  I said numerous things like, "OH THE LITTLE RED CAR!  REMEMBER WHEN ELIZABETH DROVE IT ALL OVER ME????????".  My Mom said something to the effect of, "Here have it!". And, off I went with a little Japanese car in my hand...

Fast forward 20 years.  My movers showed up the other day and we scattered ALL OVER THE HOUSE making sure they didn't pack anything "important".  I ran to my little bitty jewelry box....loaded it up...and stuck it in a safe place.  When the movers had left, John said to me, "What is that??" and I just teared up all over again.  I had myself a little moment....

A little moment where I still lived under the same roof with my parents and my sisters - a moment where going to the Japanese grocery was HUGE and the little rice papers melted on your tongues and you said, "Ewwwww....." and then did it again - a moment where a little red car drove all over me and I was 10 and Elizabeth was 4 and everything was easy.

I tried to give the car back to Elizabeth a few years ago and she said, "No....it's more important for you to have it." and I am so thankful she let me keep it.  Besides - I probably would have called her every once in a while to ask where the car WAS and if she LOVED it like I did...and make her go find it and she would be annoyed...or at least she would act like she was - but deep down would be happy that the little red Japanese car meant so much to me...

I think it is only appropriate to now say.....

"Errrrrrrrrrrrrk!!!!!".  The end.

Thank you, my sweet sister....