Nostalgia: a crippling disease with which I've been infected since birth (having contracted it in utero). This particular outbreak stems from one cause: my mom is moving out of our house of a million years and into my great-grandma's house. This means: everything comes out of old dusty attic boxes and into new, shiny garage boxes. Supposedly I'm "sorting and getting rid of things I don't need." But, unfortunately, because of my disease I need everything.
Trina used to say that I was born 12 and just get older, I think because it was the only possible explaination for the fact that I possess all worldy knowledge. If anyone needs proof that I did indeed experience childhood, this is it. I found a large box, full of carefully packed small boxes, labeled for their contents. OLD CLOTHES, PLAY WITH GENTLY, read one. SHELL SHAPED BEADS, another. Then it got a little wierd: TWO FEATHERS, BOOKMARK, PIN. And then my mother and I found the treasure... I have absolutely not a clue what I was thinking at whatever baffling age I might have been. A small yellow box labeled: TIGER WIS. BASE CARDS. RIBBON FROM FARE. COUGH DROP.
What do I find inside? A Riccola cough drop, 1.5 inches of purple ribbon, two baseball cards and (my favorite) some tiny pieces of stuffed-animal whiskers stuck to a piece of masking tape.
The signifigance of this historical find will confound archeologists for decades to come.
But there were more meaningful finds, like a massive collection of Beatles T-Shirts, my lost stash of Rollingstone and MAD magazines that dates back to 1984 (thanks Uncle Larry), and some drawings of me as a pirate, ruling the world.
I took some french candy (Pimousse Zimzimfruits) to my cousins who repaid me by braiding my hair and telling me about their new cows. Davey named his "Gromet" and my Auntie Tanya named hers "Tellulah." Everyone in the Valley is cow-crazy. Old ranchers doing the "take the tractor for a spin and check on the cows with a flashlight" thing. I love the country.
To Shreveport: I passed within 66 miles of you on the plane. I waved out the window. I send you my love. Say hi to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES for me.
Kristin again...I think you know how most of us feel about THAT little experience. They will probably shut down ALL the streets that go to my house, plus evacuate all of the democrats from campus so that Bush doesn't know we exist. I think I might protest, or at least wear my "W...Wanker" shirt.
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