Happy, happy Friday, people!
Welcome to the 49th Friday of the year. That’s right. We’ve already had 48 Fridays in 2014. Crazy, right? (I know, I know, I say that a lot about Fridays!) Anyway, I had fun writing the segment for today’s episode of my fiction story, When Life Hands You Lymes and hope y’all will enjoy a little bit of light hearted fun after a few rather serious posts. As always, I’d be delighted to hear feedback. Enjoy!
“Do you think blue or pink works better?” Katie stood in my doorway, holding two bright tote bags, a frustrated expression her her face.
I laughed, I couldn’t help it. “What in the world is going on?” I eyed the crazy getup she was in. “Hey! Where did get those sparkly socks? They’re cute.”
“Blue or pink.” Katie’s eyes flashed, warning me to just answer her question, but by this time I was laughing so hard I couldn’t get the words out.
“Turn around,” I was finally able to gasp out the words.
I could tell she didn’t want to, but knowing I would hound her until I got my way, she complied. Seeing Katie all decked out in a half 80’s, half clownish outfit, complete with a tail tacked on made tears come.
“Cut it out.” Katie tossed the blue bag at me, I ducked and then wrinkled my nose at her.
“What’s going on?” Katie is, well, Katie is professional. She’s not the goofball that I can be by any means. “I think you might have gotten confused.” I gestured at the black dress I still had on from my rehearsal at the Ashburg Symphony. “You’re the one who’s supposed to look like this, I’m supposed to be looking like you right now.”
“I know.” Katie leaned against the wall and covered her face with her hand. “I don’t know why I get myself into things like this.”
Noticing the stickers on her fingernails, I choked, but didn’t comment about them. “Things like what?” I patted the bed next to me. If you get someone to sit down there’s a better chance they’ll stay and chat and I was having fun with my sister.
“So.” Katie waved her hands in the air as if trying to find the right words as she came over and joined me at the side of my bed. “So, you know at church they kept telling us they needed more helpers for the kids program they have set up for tonight. I was free, so I thought, Why not?” Katie pointed at her clothes. “This is why not. I’m not going to have a shred of dignity left if I walk out the door looking like this. Goodness, I’m pretty sure I’m going to need sun glasses to conceal my identity.”
I eyed her oversized black sweater with huge flowers pined onto it and then let my eyes trail down to her knee-length extra-full purple poke-doted skirt and then to the baggy pants that had stripes of all colors and sizes running up and down them. And of course the sparkly socks. “Where did you get your outfit?” I wondered if there was a way for me to take a picture without her noticing me, but gave up on the idea.
“Abbie.” Now Katie glared at me for real. “Did you set this up with her? Because if you did…”
I shook my head, unable to hold back my grin. “No, no. I had no clue.” I snapped my fingers. “I wish I could take some of the credit for it though.”
“I wish I could take some of the credit for it though!” Katie mimicked me in a mocking tone, shaking her head back and forth as she went. “Madalyn, I’m pretty sure I’ll fall over dead if I go out in public like this.”
“Why didn’t you take the clothes to church and put them on there?” I shrugged.
“Madalyn Emerson, where are you when I need you!” Katie thumped her forehead with the heel of her hand. “It’s too late now, though.”
“Just wear your long coat.”
Katie grabbed me in a hug. “Thank you!”
“Now, of course that could look weird since this is a ‘back-to-school’ bash, but really, who cares if people think they’re weird?”
“I care.” Katie’s sigh was dejected. “I’ve pretty much shot myself with volunteering for this though, right?
“Pretty much.”
“You’re sympathetic.”
“I’ve learned from the best.” I gave her shoulder a punch. “What are you going to be doing tonight, anyway?”
“I’m in charge of the ring toss.”
“Ring toss? Like the game that they have at the fair?”
“That’s the idea.” Katie buried her head in her hands. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
I laughed as I jumped up and pulled her off the bed. “Don’t worry, you’ll do fine. Oh, and I’m pretty sure you should carry both bags, they’ll add to your costume.”
Noveltea 