A Life Ever Changing

by Angel O'Hare

 

#8-Tie a Ribbon

"Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree..." -- Irwin Levine and L. Russel Brown/Tony Orlando and Dawn

  

...Mrs. Brown then asked me if I was ready to go home? I said yes, and she told me my mother was waiting for us. Oh FRAPST! I just knew what was going to happen then!...

We continued to converse about varied topics each of which ended with her asking my opinion or how I felt about this and that. I must admit I was at a loss to give an educated reply to most of her chosen topics. I must have done the right thing by not making something up or using other people's opinions as my own. She ended the inquisition by informing me that I had a lot to learn, but she was sure I would do well.

Okay, but I was about to arrive at my house with my brand new boss. A boss, who has seen me in my underwear, treated me like a child and subjected me to the most embarrassing situations of my young life! Not only that, but I am about to have Mrs. Brown and my mother be together over dinner with one topic, ME!

The closer we got to my house, the more nervous I got. Mrs. Brown must have seen my expression and my body language must have been obvious. Because she turned to me and told me to take slow deep breaths one after the other. So that's what I did for about 5 minutes! Ok, so I was calmer for 5 minutes! I looked out the window and HOLY FRIPSY! We were turning onto my street! There went all the calm! We turned into my driveway and there was no turning back now. THIS WAS IT!

Not only my mother's car was in the driveway either! My Aunt Harriet's was there as well! Now my Aunt Harriet is a hairdresser and my mother's closest friend. She is also my mother's confidante. My mom tells her everything and she tells my mom everything! Never any secrets between them two! Oh CRAP!

To add insult to injury, our next-door neighbors were having a cookout and they were all outside looking as Mrs. Brown and I got out of the car. Did I mention my girlfriend was my neighbor? I could just picture my next visit with my girlfriend at her house!

I had Mrs. Brown take the lead and I followed close behind. (After waving hello to my neighbors of course. I could not pretend they did not see us, or we did not see them.)

We came up the front walk and before I could get to the door my brother and sister ran out yelling "Rich is home!" In a nana-second they both were wrapped around me hugging and yelling "Aunt Harriet is here!" They were yelling at the same time trying to tell me about a hundred different things all at once. You know how little kids are when they are excited don't you? Mrs. Brown started laughing and that was when both my mother and Aunt Harriet came out as well. I did my duty and made the introductions as best I could with two wiggling screaming excited kids wrapped around me.

Mrs. Brown then made the great suggestion that maybe I and my brother and sister could help bring "MY" packages from the car into the house. This suggestion was made to my mother and not to me of course. And of course she agreed and the kids got even more excited! The both started yelling "PRESENTS! RICH GOT PRESENTS!" Oh GEEZ!

Mrs. Brown then said to my utter dismay "Ricky, here are my keys to the trunk. You three have fun and just bring all the packages inside ok?" Of course, my mother and Aunt Harriet said in unison "RICKY?" Oh CRAP!

To my utter horror the three ladies went into the house chatting and laughing like old friends. I could have sworn I heard my Aunt call Mrs. Brown "Grace"! Did she know her?

Well, the two little ones were driving me crazy to open up the trunk. So we three started unloading the packages and I handed the smallest and lightest to my brother. My sister grabbed as much as she could and I grabbed the rest.

We got to the door and the three ladies were already sitting in the living room chatting away. I had to put down several packages to open the door! GEEZ! They could at least have held the door open for us! As we entered the house my mother hollered out, "Just bring them all in here kids!" So we did.

Then my mother really surprised me! She asked me to go into the kitchen and make a fresh salad to go with dinner. What? Ok, so off I went. This of course put me on the opposite side of two walls from them. Which of course, made it a certainty, I could not overhear anything they were talking about.

As I was leaving to go make the salad my Aunt asked me if I would please make some tea. OF COURSE I WOULD BE GLAD TO AUNT HARRIET! (I did say it nicely though.) Oh CRAP! Add to that my brother and sister were trying their best to empty all the packages. As a parting shot I said, "Some of them are Mrs. Brown's." I could hear chuckling as I left!

I put the tea water on to boil and started to think again. I wondered why my Aunt had not mentioned my hair or nails. I knew she knew! My mom did not mention it either! I also knew that it was obvious I had had them done. Well, I did not have them done Mrs. Brown and Lucy had this done to me!

I was also wondering how these appointments just happened to have been made without me seeing Mrs. Brown make them. Betty at the specialty shop knew I was coming. Lucy also knew I was coming. The workers at Lucy's salon knew I was coming! I started putting it all together when the tea water started to boil.

I went to the cupboard and took out the fancy tea set. You know the kind. Teapot, small creamer, sugar bowl with the little spoon in it, the tray and of course! What goes with tea? Right, the fancy cookies of course! I put all this together, adding three teacups and saucers with three teaspoons of course. I was ready! Off I went back to the living room.

Now, try to picture me walking in with this stuff trying to keep a poker face on knowing full well I had been set-up by the three of them! It is not easy! I tried, but I failed because all it took was one look at me and they knew I knew what they had done!

All three ladies thanked me for the tea and my mother told me to put the salad in the refrigerator when I was through preparing it. She added that I should come back to living room right when I was through. Ok. So, off I went back to the kitchen once more in utter seclusion. I made the salad, cleaned up and returned to the living room nervous as hell and wondering what would come next!

What I saw when I entered the living room was all my stuff neatly laid out in sets! Yes, the ladies had matched everything as to what went with what. I also noticed several wooden hangers.

Now, my mother loves wooden hangers. They were special and these were designed to hold a complete outfit. There was a place for a shirt, pants and jacket. You ever see these type hangers? They are called the traveler's friend. They were real big in the 40's and 50's. Of course, in the 60's most humans were using metal hangers. Not our family! Our family had at least 10 different styles of wooden hangers! No metal ones in this house!

I also noticed that my siblings were now playing with the empty boxes off in a corner and having a blast. Now, lying right next to each matched set of clothes were the accessories that went with them. Yupper, a pair of socks, a T-shit, one pair of underwear and to my utter horror I saw not just one pair of KEDS, but two! I also noticed not two pairs of Patten leather shoes but three! Two white pairs and one black pair.

I still only had two jackets, but along with three sets of clothes I noticed three smocks! LIGHT BLUE with "NURSE AIDE" embroidered over the left chest pocket red in color! OH GEEZ! I also noticed I had two neckties both black. What happened to the white one? This took me all of about 60 seconds.

The chair my mother told me to clear off and sit in had two regular sized men's cloth belts lying on it. You know the kind, the ones with the brass buckle? These were white. Also on the chair were three other ones that were thinner and colored light blue and two shiny black leather belts. One was wider than the other one. Where did all this come from? There were two three-color pens. I also saw four sets of light blue shoelaces. Under all this lay two wrapped packages. One I knew was from Lucy, but the other one I did not know whom it was from. I moved all of these things neatly onto the floor.

I sat down and waited for what they had planned for me to once and for all be explained. My Aunt got up and walked over to me. She asked me to show her my hands and I did. She looked at them and said, "Now that is how a gentleman's nails should be kept. Clean, trimmed, shaped and protected. They help make you look like a professional."

Then she looked at my hair. She walked around behind me and I felt her hands in my hair. She then said not only to me I guess, but to Mrs. Brown and my mother as well "This is great work, Grace! Julia (my mom's name) look at all the body he has now!" She went on to say, "Your hair has gentle flowing waves and I bet they will keep for at least a month!" She was not done yet! She went on to say, "I bet we could brush this in several styles!" OH GEEZ! She then asked my mom to get her a hairbrush! OH NO!!!!

Thank heaven, my mother told her we had to eat dinner now! Whew, but then she added, "Harriet, you can play with his hair after dinner." She went on, "You can try different styles as he tries on and models his new uniform sets for us." OH NO!!!!!!

With that I was sent off to the kitchen again by my mother to set places for four. She announced that the two little ones had already eaten and they would be going to bed now.

I started to laugh then because as I was going to the kitchen both my brother and sister were screaming they did not want to go to bed. Especially going to bed earlier than normal. I knew they would fight this tooth and nail! I also knew my mom would win after a few swats on two bottoms! My Aunt offered her help with the two little ones and my mom asked Grace if she wanted join them. She did.

I disappeared into the kitchen and that was the last I heard from them for some time. Knowing what they had to do would take at least 30 minutes or more I not only set the table, I put the final touches on the salad and warmed the French bread. I peeked into the oven and there was my favorite of favorites! Home-made baked macaroni and cheese! If this was to be my final meal it was going to at least be my favorite!

I decided to take a chance and peeked into the freezer. YES! There it was, my favorite dessert in the whole world! A big pan of strawberry supreme! Have you ever had homemade strawberry supreme? No? You just don't know what you are missing dear readers! How this is made will make your mouths water and your stomachs growl with eternal desire! The very bottom is made of crushed toasted almonds. Then comes the first layer of strawberry ice cream. On top of that strawberries in syrup whipped together with real whipped cream! Not Cool Whip! Real whipped cream! Then another thin layer of crushed toasted almonds. This continues until you have four layers and that is topped off with real fresh strawberries! Would you like some dear readers? I know I would and right this second! But, on with the story!

Feeling much better about dinner and dessert I started to sing as I usually do when I am happy. (I love to sing.) Then I heard that sound!

 

I wish to thank Erin Halfelvin for proofing and editing my story. THANK YOU ERIN! You might have gotten the chapters quicker without her help, but I assure you it is worth the added wait for her to be able to do her magic! Erin is also the one responsible for the song lyrics you see along with the title of each different chapter. I love this little touch don't you? Thanks again Erin!

Angel

 

 

 

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© 2002 by Angel O'Hare. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.