tia: tAkE tWo

Good things happen with visits: you get to catch up and see where each of you “is”… and you get to share/compare old days stories. My baby cuz and I just drove to NY City. One of the stories that made him chuckle was my “birth” day story. See, my dad was from Wyoming… yuppers, a bona fide cowboy & as such, not known for expressing a ton of warm fuzzies… hard work, practical jokes and dry wit come with the territory, but getting mushy was not. He had strong feelings, it’s just that, warm ‘n squishy was more a part of my mom.

Once I was out on my own, as an adult, every year my parents each would call me on my birthday. Unbeknownst to them, they would then proceed to tell me the “he said/ she said” of the day I was born. The first few years it was kind of funny. For a couple of years my own life got a little hectic, so it was like, “Ok, c’mon let’s get this over with” when they would call. Then, for the next decade, I realized it was our very own family ritual and would look forward to their calls.

Dad: “I had just gotten home from workin’ at the base, and wouldn’t ya know, it was the FIRST meal she hadn’t burned!!! Boy, was I hungry!!!”
[On behalf of all young cooks and wives everywhere, I did eventually manage to slip in here that, “Yeah, Pop, at the ripe age of 18, I’m sure she should’ve been a professional chef!” Like, what 24 year old male wouldn’t be an aficionado of culinary delicacies?!?!]
Mom: “I had just set the table and sat down when my water broke. I went and showered and changed. Came back out to his telling me, to calm down and relax...”
Dad: “I’ve delivered sheep, cows, and all manner of livestock. You’ll be ok.”
And he kept eating. Whereupon, my little mother, all 5’2’ blonde inches of her… stomped her foot and told him in no uncertain terms,
Mom: “I am NOT a sheep, cow or any other form of livestock. And you WILL be taking me to the hospital. NOW.”
He complied, and I am grateful, for there were issues, including the need for a blood transfusion. [Whispers conspiratorially, “I don’t think he would’ve been prepared for that.”]

Now, if you don’t know about the day you were born and you are blessed enough to have one or both of your folks around, you have a homework assignment. : ))