Gosh, saw something last night I will be chuckling over for months to come. Friends invited us out for dinner last night to celebrate their son Eric's birthday. We are close to Eric, since he practically grew up in our home. He and Sky were best friends. They did everything together, like riding a laundry basket down the stairs. They stuck up for one another too, never did find out which one put his head through the wall at the bottom of the stairs. I knew the girls well too. Taught the two older ones Ginny and Taffy to shoot. I also worked with Taffy at Santa Land two summers as well.
Ginny, Taffy, and Eric, have all graduated, got a job, and moved out. Only Mary is still living at home. Last night as we were sitting in the dinning room having dinner, Mary arrived late. Now I am sitting with my wife near the end of the long table, where the Mom is sitting. Ginny and Taffy are sitting across from me. They had saved a seat for Mary. There was about 20 people sitting at the table. After Mary sat down the Mom got her attention, and recommended she button her top up. Mary was showing too much, and the Mom did not like it. So Mary buttoned up one button. Mom pointed and insisted she button up more, without making a scene. Mary, buttoned up the rest of the buttons, but showed she did not like it. A few minutes later those buttons were open. I had seen Mary brush them repeatedly to cause them to open. The Mom got Mary's attention again and had her button up. I'm seeing this because I am sitting to the Mom's right. No one else is in position to see it except Ginny and Taffy. My wife is listening to Eric at the other end of the table, and totally oblivious to anything else. Shortly Mary's buttons are loose again. This time Mom mentions it to Ginny. Ginny gets up and goes and has a talk with Mary. Mary argues, but buttons half the buttons. Ginny went back to her seat, but kept asking Mary to button up. Mary ignored her. Taffy came back from giving Eric a present at the other end of the table. After sitting down she asked Ginny what was going on, so Ginny whispered in her ear what Mary was doing.
Taffy, Ginny, and Eric sign, Mary does not. So Taffy started conversing with Eric with sign language at the other end of the table. Eric answered her discreetly. Taffy got up and walked past Mary, then nodded at Eric. Eric stood and started speaking, drawing everyones attention to that end of the table. Taffy turned and walked back towards her seat. As she passed Mary, Taffy reached out and grabbed a hand full of hair. Taffy twisted that hand full of hair, and jerked the head it was attatched to back hard. Taffy put her hand over Mary's mouth to stiffle a scream, then leaned down right next to Mary's ear. Taffy continued to whisper to Mary, and with trembling hands Mary buttoned her sweater all the way to the top. Once the buttons were buttoned up all the way Taffy loosened the pull on Mary's hair, but continued to whisper in her ear. When Taffy returned to her seat, she winked at her Mom and Ginny. Mary kept her sweater buttoned up the rest of the night.
Eric had always told me that he never made Taffy mad. Taffy is the prettiest, and sweetest, but she can be the meanest too according to Eric. And I always thought Taffy was the sweetest little girl I had ever met. Now I know why Eric and Sky treated Taffy like she was a Princess, as they were growing up.
