on Friday, April 22, 2011 at 3:45pm
It was late past her bed time and she just couldn't keep still. She never stayed up this late. She didn't even really need a bed time she was always sound asleep by 8 not matter where she was and always up at 5 am. But tonight was special. She was so excited that Grandpa and Grandma were coming. She just couldn't keep still. Her mom had admonished her several times to calm down and sit down to no avail. The sound of the car door slamming made her feel like she was jumping out of her skin. She ran to the door and got in the way. Her mom told her between clinched teeth to once again settle down. She took a deep breath, brushing her little chubby hands down her dress to smooth it out. Waiting was so hard. They were just the other side of the door. She could hear their voices. Her excitement rising in her like mercury in a thermometer. She starts jumping inside and then up and down on her little chubby feet. Wringing her hands. As the door opens she sees knees. Daddy, and Grandpa and then Grandma's skirt. She squeals and claps her hands with glee. Everyone is chatting at once and she rushes into the hubbub. Grandpa grabs her up and put his hat on her head, hugs her tight and then hands her to grandma. Who hugs her and tells her how pretty she is and what a good girl she is. A feeling of guilt hits and quickly passes. It is way to hard to be good when you are waiting for sooooooo long. But they are here now. And they all sit at the table. Her brother having come in from his room to sit on grandpa's knee and the little girl now safely ensconced on Grandma's lap.
All the waiting and anticipation being over with she head weighs heavy on her shoulders and she nods her head onto her grandmother's breast. She feel herself being pulled away and struggles to wake up. On being placed in her bed, the cold sheets bring her fully out of it and she becomes a wild child. "NO!" she gets out of bed. Her mom sticks her back in it and admonishes her to stay put. She again says "NO!" and slides to the ground. Which gets her a smack on the behind and a lecture on doing what she is told. The minute mom gets up from the bed the little girl is out and says "I want to see grandpa and grandma." Mom tells her "you will see them in the morning, now get back in bed." The little girl falls to the floor sitting cross-legged, arms crossed and chin set. Mom promises a severe beating if she doesn't get up. The little girl refuses to move. The mom grabs a wooden spoon and tries to pull the little girl up. But it is like trying to move sand or maybe dough. It's like she has no bone. She can't lift her at all. "I am going to get your father!" So the mother leaves the spoon on the shelf and turns and walks quickly out of the room. She hears the adult voices and then the heavy footsteps of dad coming down the hall. She feels a small jump in her heart that her dad was coming to spank her. He walks into the room a look of concern on his face and the little girl melts. "Hi, daddy" "And why does my little blue eyes not want to go to bed?" he asked kindly. "I want to be with grandma and grandpa. Oh, please daddy. pretty please with whipped cream, nuts cherries and oh everything on top. please daddy." "Aren't you tired?" "oh, no not at all" "You fell asleep on grandma's lap did you know that?" The little girl sighs. "You promise they will be here tomorrow? "Yes, baby girl I promise" "But what if something happens? What if they decided not to stay? What if they want to go somewhere before I get up? what if..." "Mary Katherine Roe!" "Yes daddy" " They are not going anywhere, they will be here tomorrow. They have told you goodnight and they will be sleeping in the living room." You will see them in the morning. Understand." The firmness and certainty of dad's voice convinced her and she laid down on her bed and was quickly asleep.
I was to hear this story again and again and my grandfather's said that when he saw dad come out of that room he looked like he had been rode hard and put away wet. And that the only reason he won that one was because he was bigger than me. I don't remember wearing him out I just remember being thankful that I had a daddy that would sit with me and explain my fears away and when he couldn't explain them he would at least give me the guarantees I need to let go of my anxieties. I miss him everyday. We were so much alike that there is always something that hits me as "oh I have to tell dad about this" or "if only he was here to share this"
All the waiting and anticipation being over with she head weighs heavy on her shoulders and she nods her head onto her grandmother's breast. She feel herself being pulled away and struggles to wake up. On being placed in her bed, the cold sheets bring her fully out of it and she becomes a wild child. "NO!" she gets out of bed. Her mom sticks her back in it and admonishes her to stay put. She again says "NO!" and slides to the ground. Which gets her a smack on the behind and a lecture on doing what she is told. The minute mom gets up from the bed the little girl is out and says "I want to see grandpa and grandma." Mom tells her "you will see them in the morning, now get back in bed." The little girl falls to the floor sitting cross-legged, arms crossed and chin set. Mom promises a severe beating if she doesn't get up. The little girl refuses to move. The mom grabs a wooden spoon and tries to pull the little girl up. But it is like trying to move sand or maybe dough. It's like she has no bone. She can't lift her at all. "I am going to get your father!" So the mother leaves the spoon on the shelf and turns and walks quickly out of the room. She hears the adult voices and then the heavy footsteps of dad coming down the hall. She feels a small jump in her heart that her dad was coming to spank her. He walks into the room a look of concern on his face and the little girl melts. "Hi, daddy" "And why does my little blue eyes not want to go to bed?" he asked kindly. "I want to be with grandma and grandpa. Oh, please daddy. pretty please with whipped cream, nuts cherries and oh everything on top. please daddy." "Aren't you tired?" "oh, no not at all" "You fell asleep on grandma's lap did you know that?" The little girl sighs. "You promise they will be here tomorrow? "Yes, baby girl I promise" "But what if something happens? What if they decided not to stay? What if they want to go somewhere before I get up? what if..." "Mary Katherine Roe!" "Yes daddy" " They are not going anywhere, they will be here tomorrow. They have told you goodnight and they will be sleeping in the living room." You will see them in the morning. Understand." The firmness and certainty of dad's voice convinced her and she laid down on her bed and was quickly asleep.
I was to hear this story again and again and my grandfather's said that when he saw dad come out of that room he looked like he had been rode hard and put away wet. And that the only reason he won that one was because he was bigger than me. I don't remember wearing him out I just remember being thankful that I had a daddy that would sit with me and explain my fears away and when he couldn't explain them he would at least give me the guarantees I need to let go of my anxieties. I miss him everyday. We were so much alike that there is always something that hits me as "oh I have to tell dad about this" or "if only he was here to share this"
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