Post by h2f on Aug 8, 2020 18:24:42 GMT -5
The clouds had been slowly changing shapes as they moved by all day; a rabbit became a very happy dolphin and then turned into a bird. My viewing hammock was near enough to Memaw’s garage that the peaceful setting was interrupted by the sudden whoosh of flames and then a stream of very creative curses late in the afternoon.
I find the source of the curses sitting beside part of a dragon statue describing something that, in my small life experience, didn’t sound physically possible.
I put my arms behind me and stand at parade rest, sort of. “Hey, Memaw. Is there something I can help with?”
She looks up at me before shaking her head. “No, honey-club. This is something that I’m afraid will have to wait until tomorrow.”
She dusts herself off as she slowly stands and staggers a step before standing straight. “Let’s head in and see what your Uncle has for dinner. Did I hear that both my boys will be joining us for dinner or is your cousin on another date tonight?”
I pull out my phone from the hoodie pocket in my summer bear outfit.
I turn to Memaw. “Abby isn’t on a date tonight. She’s making ants-on-the-log.”
“Chocolate chips?”
“Chocolate chips.”
We enter the house in peaceful silence; neither of us want to re-start the argument that has been ongoing since I found out exactly what was in the tic tacs she gave me before the international flight for the Silicone Cup.
Once inside the house, Memaw hollers at Forest and the other blonde guy. “Boys, we’ve got two days to finish testing and prepping the course challenges before we have to truck ‘em over to the Red Clay Racetrack.”
My uncle sticks his head out of the kitchen. “Mom, when you’re setting those up, make sure there aren’t any trees nearby. We don’t need another Table Rock Incidences right now.”
Memaw glares at her son. “How many times do I need to say it. That. Fire. Wasn’t. My. Fault.”
My uncle looks at the two men beside her. Forest clears his throat. “We’ll have fire extinguishers and a fire hose standing by but I’ll check the target area for flammables. I thought we told them to trim the trees back.”
My uncle exhales loudly. “We did, but I don’t trust them to follow through with the contract. Especially after the difficulties we had down in Mexico.”
Memaw smiles. “I think Mexico ended on a great note and we should focus on the positive. The girls won, afterall.”
I scowl. “We can’t focus on past wins. We need to focus on this qualifier. We have yet to even place in any one of the qualifiers. If this keeps up, we won’t have the points to compete in the Sippy Cup.”
Memaw losses her smile. “We can’t focus on our failures or it’ll psych you out. How about we finish celebrating tonight and then we can decide how to display the Silicone Cup.”
I hesitate. “You’re not going to, like, glue it to the hood of the car like a unicorn horn sticking out of the tiger’s forehead, are you?”
A slow smile spreads across my grandmother's face as my own fills with horror. “What a splendid idea!”
“No. No, that wasn’t what I was saying.”
“C’mon boys! We got a few minutes until dinner. Let’s do this!”
I find the source of the curses sitting beside part of a dragon statue describing something that, in my small life experience, didn’t sound physically possible.
I put my arms behind me and stand at parade rest, sort of. “Hey, Memaw. Is there something I can help with?”
She looks up at me before shaking her head. “No, honey-club. This is something that I’m afraid will have to wait until tomorrow.”
She dusts herself off as she slowly stands and staggers a step before standing straight. “Let’s head in and see what your Uncle has for dinner. Did I hear that both my boys will be joining us for dinner or is your cousin on another date tonight?”
I pull out my phone from the hoodie pocket in my summer bear outfit.
Hey, Abby. Hot date tonight?
Nope. Making ants-on-the-log appetizers. Chocolate chips?
Chocolate chips.I turn to Memaw. “Abby isn’t on a date tonight. She’s making ants-on-the-log.”
“Chocolate chips?”
“Chocolate chips.”
We enter the house in peaceful silence; neither of us want to re-start the argument that has been ongoing since I found out exactly what was in the tic tacs she gave me before the international flight for the Silicone Cup.
Once inside the house, Memaw hollers at Forest and the other blonde guy. “Boys, we’ve got two days to finish testing and prepping the course challenges before we have to truck ‘em over to the Red Clay Racetrack.”
My uncle sticks his head out of the kitchen. “Mom, when you’re setting those up, make sure there aren’t any trees nearby. We don’t need another Table Rock Incidences right now.”
Memaw glares at her son. “How many times do I need to say it. That. Fire. Wasn’t. My. Fault.”
My uncle looks at the two men beside her. Forest clears his throat. “We’ll have fire extinguishers and a fire hose standing by but I’ll check the target area for flammables. I thought we told them to trim the trees back.”
My uncle exhales loudly. “We did, but I don’t trust them to follow through with the contract. Especially after the difficulties we had down in Mexico.”
Memaw smiles. “I think Mexico ended on a great note and we should focus on the positive. The girls won, afterall.”
I scowl. “We can’t focus on past wins. We need to focus on this qualifier. We have yet to even place in any one of the qualifiers. If this keeps up, we won’t have the points to compete in the Sippy Cup.”
Memaw losses her smile. “We can’t focus on our failures or it’ll psych you out. How about we finish celebrating tonight and then we can decide how to display the Silicone Cup.”
I hesitate. “You’re not going to, like, glue it to the hood of the car like a unicorn horn sticking out of the tiger’s forehead, are you?”
A slow smile spreads across my grandmother's face as my own fills with horror. “What a splendid idea!”
“No. No, that wasn’t what I was saying.”
“C’mon boys! We got a few minutes until dinner. Let’s do this!”