Sisters

 

My big sister and I shared a big, brass bed, until I finished elementary school. By today’s standards it wasn’t very big, but we fit into it nicely. Tracing an imaginary line between brass poles at each end of the bed she showed me the line I was not to cross...ever.  Two school years ahead of me, she was very much the BIG Sister.

One day, while walking home from school in the middle of a storm, she saved my life by pulling me back to street level. Whether I really would have blown away, like in the Wizard of Oz, I'm not sure. But she said I, ... easily coulda. A powerful gust of wind had picked me up, and I was literally flying across Main Street! She caught me, pulled me back to earth, and then hustled me into Torbert’s. 

Torbert's was a store, and I don't remember what it's primary business was. Maybe it sold housewares, hardware, or pharmaceuticals on the 1st floor, but the 2nd floor was entirely toys. It was also one of those stores where you could buy those plastic rain bonnets elderly women used to cover hair, after it's just been done. Her plan was to make me wear one, even though she wasn't, and we were just blocks from our house. The purchase went quickly, but we didn't even go up to see the toys! She wrestled the opaque, plastic baggie over my already rain soaked head, fastened it tightly under my chin, and we continued home.

I learned a lot from her because she told me how do the things she did; the things I couldn't. For example, I had trouble falling asleep. Sometimes, I lay awake in the dark, for what felt like an eternity.  But I know she didn’t have that trouble, because I could hear her rhythmic, deep sleep-breathing within moments of hopping into bed. I saw it each night, so I knew she could do it (fall asleep) so I asked her to tell me how she fell asleep, so seemingly easy.

It became my constant query: How do you go to sleep?

Many nights, she simply yawned and rolled away from me.  After pulling the blanket tighter, she'd say I’ll tell ya tomorrow, maybe, ‘cause I’m tired. Then, facing away from me, she would fall asleep, leaving me alone in the dark, again.

If it didn’t go like that, she’d say to me, in a creepy voice, God… is gonna GET you!  We were Catholic, and even went to Catholic school, so that was a really scary threat. But, before I could even ask her, What sins have I committed to require such harsh warning? she would turn away and check out, literally.  She was asleep before her head hit the flat, down-filled pillow of our childhood.

Good memories? I have those too, but I’m tired now, so maybe tomorrow.