Thursday, March 04, 2010

All You Need Is

I picked up Auntie Joy on Monday to run errands with me. And just like going anywhere with Auntie, it was an adventure.

Remember, this is the woman who calls Magnum P.I. "Magnesium P.I." and referred to Tom Selleck as "Tom Seltzer".

And I just love hanging out with her.

Our first stop was the local drugstore, where I had to pick up prescriptions for three of us (one battling strep throat, one battling migraines and one battling everything else - that would be my mother-in-law). Anyway, I've hinted before how difficult it is to go anywhere in this town without running into every Tom, Dick and Harry that I went to preschool with - well, it's even worse for Auntie.

In other words, she's an old timer.

She's lived here waaaaaay longer than I have. Not that it's a bad thing, because it isn't - and I would not trade our Little Pink Houses life here in this small town for all the wonders of the world. Neither would Auntie. We like it. We like the smallness. We like the community. We just like it.

So there we were, waiting in the check out line with our Sucrets and People magazines and prescriptions when she strikes up a conversation with the ladies in front of us.

[Very Jane* of her]

I was distracted by the refillable butane lighters and all the other impluse items placed near the registers to suck every last dime from the customers who pass through when, before I know it, she's hugging the younger of the two - who is smiling a big sloppy smile over Auntie's shoulder at me.

I smiled back.

Then, she goes in for the mother of the lady she had just hugged.

And she hugged her too.

Again, I received a smile and big grin. I'm not exaggerating when I say that you could feel the happiness in our little corner of the drugstore at that very moment in time. It was palpable. It was obvious. It was simple and easy and just, plain HAPPY.

I paid for my things, told the clerk to "have a nice day," like I always do and out the sliding doors we went to find my car.

"Did you know those ladies?" I asked her.

She giggled.

"No."

I think the world could use a few more Aunties in it.





*Jane is my mom. It's a fact in our family that she is famous for talking to strangers in grocery stores. The reference is used in nothing but love and respect. I mean, we're taught from the time we can hear not to talk to strangers, but wouldn't it be horrible if we actually never did? Thanks mom and Auntie, for being rule breakers. The world is a better place because you're in it.

7 comments:

Angie McCullagh said...

I never knew it was so close knit up there. That's cool.

Kendra said...

That's really lovely. I recently started attending a church, and a few weeks ago I asked my mom if she wanted to come. It was kind of a crazy day, with misbehaving kids in public and questions about whether we wanted to attend a meeting about becoming members. But I looked over at my mom, and she was happily talking with some woman I'd seen there a few times before. It reminded me about what I love about my mom and about that church: their ability to make anyone feel welcome.

carrie said...

Exactly Kendra!

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Anonymous said...

I love that and now don't feel so corney about my desire to do the same thing! "Everyday" is my morning pick me up song!

Anonymous said...

YOu know, I just noticed that Dave Matthews and your hubby have a similar look about them...hmmmm...

Anonymous said...

Your Auntie Joy is way cool.

Thanks for including me.

And pass it on... hug someone.

xxxooomom