Two Little Girls and The Red Mustang

Once upon a time, there were two little girls.  They lived in a not so far away land, where there were two main seasons....winter and road construction.  These two little girls were sisters.  The oldest was no more than four years old and probably a little to big for her figurative britches.  Later in life she would still be a little to big for her figurative britches, as well as being a little too big for her literal britches.  But that, dear readers, is another story for another time.  The younger sister was no more than a year and a half and completely at the mercy of her big sister's scheming and this had been the case since Little Sister arrived on the scene.  On one occasion, shortly after Little Sister's arrival, Big Sister took it upon herself to try and soothe "her" new baby's crying....by vigorously rocking the baby in the doll cradle.  Thankfully, their mother stepped in before Big Sister could be blamed for any permanent damage to Little Sister's physical well being.  Another tale is told, where Big Sister was again attempting to soothe her upset sibling by bringing her to their mother...carrying the poor crying baby into the room by her ankles.  Again, it was their mother who was able to rescue the infant from Big Sister's best intentions.  Perhaps this is the root of later angst between the two girls....again, another story for another time.

On this particular day, Big Sister was very excited about a visit with friends....Angela and David, to be exact.  She enjoyed the company of these playmates very much.  Unfortunately, Angela and David didn't live just next door or down the street.  A trip by car was required to spend time with them.  Big Sister liked riding in Mother's car...it was a very shiny, very pretty little red car.  Mother called it Mustang.  Big Sister liked watching Mother drive Mustang...her hands and feet were very busy making Mustang go.  What Big Sister didn't like was waiting for Mother to get some rest before going to see their friends.  Mother worked at the nearby hospital...all through the night and came home in the early morning.  Mother only wanted to sleep for just a little while and after she woke, she promised to take the girls to see Angela and David.

The waiting proved to be more than Big Sister could manage.  She knew how tired Mother was.  Mother was sleeping longer than Big Sister though necessary.  Did big girls REALLY have to nap THAT long?  Big Sister had no intention of taking any naps when she was grown-up (HAH)!  Into her adult years, Big Sister was one of those lady's prone to taking the bull by its horns and this tendency began to sprout in her formative years.  Deciding she'd waited long enough for Mother, Big Sister dressed herself and Little Sister and headed out of the house.  She put Little Sister in the passenger seat and then climbed her sassy self behind the wheel.  She started mashing the pedals with her feet and pulling on the thing that Mother called Mustang's "gear shift."  Suddenly, Mustang began to roll backward.  Big Sister was VERY pleased with herself...and then there was the very loud bang from the rear of the car.  Mustang had smashed into the motor home that was parked across the street.  And THEN...there was the very loud bang from the door of the sisters' house.  Standing on the porch in her housecoat, was a very sleepy...very confused-looking...very unhappy Mother.  Mother handled things with the neighbor who owned the now dinged up motor home...and I'm quite sure, she handled things with her oldest daughter...making her fit a little better into her britches!

(Yes...this is a true story.  Or as true as my memory recalls.  It was me in the driver's seat and poor Sister A as my unwitting and completely innocent accomplice.  I don't know if we ever made it to Angela and David's.  Maybe this is why I have such a soft spot for Mustangs.  Maybe this is why it took several teachers to help me learn to drive a stick shift.  Sounds like a story for another times, doesn't it?)