Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Crooked


This crooked tree and crooked sign are in the court house near the nursing home. As you probably can tell, I enjoy highlighting everyday imperfection, which leads me to the following story about Chesapeake Bay Middle Sister.

Today I continue with more of Chesapeake Bay Mother’s musings. In case you ever get the impression that life here in Mathews was/is all peachy and perfect, I offer the following glimpse into our crazy little world.

Chesapeake Bay Mother wrote me a letter back in April of 1987. Middle Sister would have been 20 years old then. Here is an excerpt:

Dear CBW,

How are you?

We are OK. Chesapeake Bay Middle Sister’s charges were dropped*and her lawyer didn’t even charge her a dime! She was SO relieved. Husband never knew any of it.**

The weather here is beautiful after all that rain. (Incidentally, the sail boat*** washed away to a neighbor’s place and hung up under their dock breaking the chrome off.)

-CB Mother

**************

Chesapeake Bay Woman’s Comments:

*Middle Sister had, shall we say, a “car incident,” involving our Grandfather the General’s car, Route 17 in Yorktown, and a whole lot of good fortune considering all the possible outcomes. I believe a 180-degree turn into a ditch was a prominent part of the story. Heaven knows what else was involved.

** Deception, plain and simple. This happens a lot in our family. We assume that what people don’t know won’t hurt them. It’s how we’ve survived all these years. For example, what good would it do to tell your mother that you were going to New York City via Greyhound bus for a weekend shopping spree? She'd only worry that her daughter was crossing state lines by herself and would be spending the weekend buying cheap pocketbooks from shady characters. What Mumma doesn’t know can’t possibly hurt her. BTW – I would never go to NYC to shop. Chesapeake Bay Baby Sister, the one who wants me to write more stories about her, would though.

***The “sail boat” was the sunfish, from which I did a back flip when the mast swirled around and hit me when me and CB Middle Sister were teaching ourselves to sail.

Welcome to a typical, dysfunctional day in the life of the Chesapeake Bay Family. There is drama, intrigue, lies and drama. Did I mention the drama?

6 comments:

abb said...

Such is a day in a normal family! Um, care to dispute that???

(I can relate..Big time.)

Unknown said...

I'm beginning to think life in Mathews is about the same as it is everywhere. And, why shouldn't it be?

Crooked this, crooked that.

Mental P Mama said...

I'm stating to like Middle. A lot.

Anonymous said...

This story makes me sweat. I'm not going to comment further.

Lord, thanks for looking out for me! I think I had an angel looking over my shoulder.....on an occasion or two.

Middle Sis

Big Hair Envy said...

Nothing good has EVER come out of trips to Yorktown via Route 17. In the '80's. In the summer. When the beach was open. Not that I would know.

Anonymous said...

There is nothing wrong with shopping in NYC. They have THE best food and coffee. The highlight (of all of my trips to NYC) is ALWAYS in China town. I know how to get what I want in those back streets, alleys, vans, whatever they choose to throw you in. IT's hilarious and you should go with middle sis and I. I guarantee you, you will have a great time and you will come back with quite a few nice handbags. Also, I could tell a story about middle sis and I in NYC for NYEve...but I won't!
Love,
Baby Sis