EVERYTIME THE CHOPPER LANDS

I hear blades whooshing in the distance as a glow from the i.v. pole lights my way to the window.  Wrapping myself in the thin hospital blanket I watch through the black city night.   The walls around me endure stories that are haunting my soul, as down the hall a suffering child cries in vain for her momma.  For most their mothers are no where to be found.  I can hardly stand it.  Looking back at Hayley sleeping peaceful in her bed causes tears of frustration to burn my eyes.  I will keep fighting to help her.  No one else will.

IT AINT LOVE THAT IS BLIND

It's a great sex life, that is. 

    When satiated all you see is the person in your arms.  Even when they are not around.  As lust is understood between a man and a woman there is no want or room for any others.  

   Unbridled sexual attraction and the heated lust it imparts defies gravity.  It doesn't look to roam.  There is an incessant desire for more of the same reflecting in your lovers eyes. 

THE BIRDS AND THE BEES

Looks like there were two versions of this story at my house.

   One Christmas night while exercising with my sisters, I discovered something new.  

   This is what happened.  

   After Christmas supper, the abundance of candied yams and sugar cookies always sends my figure conscience clan out for a walk.  Mother usually accompanies us on the two mile loop that winds around our family home.  But this year she stayed back to watch football with the men folk.  At the time five out of the seven of us had teenagers.

     It's nice and cold outside, about fifty degrees.   The sun hasn't set and the warmth feels good in the winter air.  Looking down I am surrounded by my wonderful sisters feet, all clad in exercise shoes.  We turn north and our mouths start running too.

   Lucy as the eldest, always has the rest of us clamoring for her attention.  Witty, sensible and tough describe my parents first born.  Lucy Lea is loyal through and through.  Her classic beauty rivals the depth of her intelligence and the reach of her humor.  Her long wavy hair shines as she purses her lips to speak.  Lorraine is bombarding her with questions as I eagerly wait, to do the same.

   Huddled together while we race walk, the conversation turns to our kids and the dreaded task of informing them where they came from.  After discussing our combined options Polly asks "do y'all remember when Mother talked with us?" 

   Continuing on, the sun starts sinking low as I listen carefully to my sisters recollection of our childhood.   It appears we each got the birds and the bees chat around our eighth birthday.  Sounds about right. 

   As we laugh and walk and jockey for position, neighboring Christmas lights cast a nostalgic glow as the evening grows into night.  With all of my sisters agreeing on the basic facts of mom's story there is one little detail that none of them are repeating.  One by one they reminisce and it confirms what I have thought all these years!  Hello?  I got too much information. 
  
   I remember the summer before I turned eight.   Liquid memories of swirling hula-hoops, private tree forts and roller skates take me back in time.  Endless days of water skiing and barbecue with the smell of pool chlorine in my hair, fill my senses.  Details of how I came into the world and ended up playing in my backyard on thirty-fourth terrace, were not important to me.  I was young and happy, safe and carefree.

   Just about this time Rosemary and Polly notice I am conspicuously quiet.  In fast succession my siblings prod me and slow their pace.  Lorraine speaks up.  "Well Ivey Mae you sure are quiet.  What did mom say to you about 'doin it'?"

Slowly I reply.

  "Yea, looks like I got a little more information on doin the horizontal dance than y'all did."  Lingering the words to tease my sisters, it works.  "What?  What?  Oh my god what did she say!"  Lorraine, Polly, Lucy, Alice, Rosemary and Daisy are all talking at once and no one is walking as they form a circle around me.  Lucy Lea starts groaning and a smile creeps on her face "come on, what did she say?"

  " Well, my version is right on with yours almost verbatim.  She called me inside, sat me down on my bed with a library book and told me the fundamentals of the man with the sperm, the woman with the egg and combined they create conception. Yadda yadda."

  Then getting grossed out even speaking about it, an embarrassed grin creeps on my face causing my sisters to squeal like stuck pigs.  "What? What? Tell us! What did she say?"

   "Mind you, I asked no questions!  I could have cared less.  All I wanted was to go back outside and play."  Then she says "the couple can make love either lying down or......... standing up."   Daisy and Lorraine scream the loudest , in unison, "EEEEWWWwww GROSS!"  Roaring with laughter we start up the long walkway and see our parents rocking side by side, smiling, at the sight in front of them.      

   Adding a final thought to our sisterly secret, I lower my voice. "Hhhhhmmmmm.  No wonder their bedroom door is locked all the time." 

  Then Lucy says in the same muted voice with a wink in her eyes  " And now we understand why she can wear the shower cap and a moo-moo and still look so darned cute to dad!"

  

BARBIE DOLLS CAN GET YOU INTO TROUBLE

I know first hand.  Jaded?  You bet.  But the color is starting to look good on me.

A DREAM IS A WISH YOUR HEART MAKES-Disney

"Do you ever dream about him?"  he softly asks.  "Yes, while I'm sleeping in his arms.    Until now it had always been only you."  I look away so he can't see the tears filling my eyes.

MY COUSIN'S FAVORITE STORY

Southerners like to mind their own business.  It comes natural as common sense.  Yet, feisty will always prevail.  This is what happened.

"Come on y'all lets go for a walk.  Embry will you please put the dog on her leash and girls get the ball."  Summertime and the livin is easy.  No darned school schedules.  Didn't like them when I was a kid and still don't.  Barefoot and fancy free.  Simple.  That's how I like it.

   The baby starts kicking his fat brown legs when he hears the word leash.  "Come here sugar pie" I say while bending over to pick him up.  Nothing like fresh air and exercise to tire young ens out.

   We walk a short distance to the small private park that is in the middle of our piece of suburbia.  About 75 medium size homes weave around the park that centers on a lovely pond.  

   As we reach the water I pick a spot and spread out the blanket.  Giving the girls playdoh and the baby a little bucket of blocks, Embry and I unleash the dog and start throwing her ball.   

    The park is empty.  At a fairly close distance is a woman washing her car on the side of her home, which is adjacent to the park.  A little girl rides her bike back and forth.  Our yellow lab, Gracie Burns
 is thrilled to be free of a leash, galloping after each ball she is thrown.  After about a half an hour I join the kids on the blanket and watch as Embry continues to play and run with our mutt.

  I can't help but notice, the woman, who is now drying her car keeps giving me longer and dirtier looks.  Oh brother, what is her problem.  I admire the baby's blocks as he knocks them down and we start over again.   Now, the woman and her daughter are clearly giving us the evil eye.  I continue to mind my own business. 

  Another fifteen or twenty minutes pass.  Lost in play with my children I am surprised to look up at the little girl who had been riding her bike.  She is standing right next to our blanket.  Smiling, I say hello as she frowns and points her pink polished finger in the direction of our dog.  "My mommie says you should put your dog on a leash."  I'm sincerely shocked at her age, what is coming out of her mouth, and the fact that this grown woman sent her child over to admonish me.  I am floored.  But, she is just a kid and I remain cool.  On the outside.

   "Oh really?" I reply.  "Is our dog bothering you?   "She thinks about it and answers with the honesty of youth.  "No."  "OK, tell your mommie not to worry about it. We live her too."
Shrugging her shoulders she turns to go home.  At this point the woman is now cleaning the inside if her car.  Lucky me.

   Curious at my neighbors audacity I look in her direction.  Not a pretty sight.  She is more than a little bit overweight and her clothes have not kept up with her growth spurts.   Each time she leans in, a huge blubbery chunk of butt glops down beneath her shorts and any excess from that, spills over the top of her shorts.  I guess they are her shorts.  But they sure don't fit and quite frankly, anyone that big should not be wearing 'shorts' of any size, in public.

  I turn my head.  Looking at my watch it is still early.    Summer thunder clouds are brewing but they are a distance away.  Opening my book I start to read.  Hayley and Hannah are singing as they swing their legs back and forth against mine.  These are the moments life is made of. 

   Another ten-fifteen minutes pass and sure enough, lookie here.  Two pair of feet now stand poised at the edge of our blanket.  The litttle girl and her mother are waiting for my attention.  Once again I, smile and say hello.  Oh my, a gust of cold wind hits my face as this woman glares down at me  "Your dog has been running loose for the last hour.  He should be on a leash.  You dog lovers should realize not everyone likes dogs."

   That was it.  She should have run.

   Standing up I look her right in the eyes.  "Lets walk over here, shall we?" I cooly respond.  I wanted to set her straight, but away from our children's ears.  
 Then I did. 

    "Yea, you could be right.  But we are on private property.  You and I both pay money for this park and for good reason animals are not prohibited. My dog isn't bothering anybody or anything.  And since you walked all the way over here to tell me what to do after you sent your leash led six year old over here..... let me tell you what I have had to look at the past hour. 

    Your ass.  And it doesn't look good from any angle.  You should have on much bigger shorts and you might want to invest in a mirror.  But do you hear me complainin?  No you don't.  Did I walk over to your house and ask you to put on some clothes?  No I did not.  I was mindin my own business."

       

  

A KISS IS NOT JUST A KISS

And a sigh is not just a sigh; as all these years have gone by.  Wrapped tightly in his arms time doesn't matter.  We kiss on.  Enraptured, I close my eyes.  Then exclaiming what I think makes him smile. "Oh you taste the same!"