Ode to Emilee

I think if you're lucky enough to have survived to the ripe old age of 30, you have some people to thank. i mean really people, death is just a needle prick away. we gotta soak it up while we can. you never now when time is up. i recently had the privilege of turning tri-denta if you will and upon the realization that old is now a discriptive word one could use when speaking of me, i became somewhat of a reflective person. Basically i started off feeling sorry for myself and decided to delete the negative and insert the positive by remembering some of the good things that have occured in my 30 years of living. one really good reason i've managed to make it thus far is because of my wonderful childhood best friend Emilee.

She was the kind of doting friend that never gave up on my sorry ole' hide. She stuck up for me and stuck to me and is the reason various good decisions were made rather than the inticing, but poisonous alternatives.

Em recently held a contest on her blog inviting readers to submit fascinating stories for a chance at an equally fascinating prize. I submitted something kinda lame, but thought i would share with you all one of my childhood memories courtesy of dear em. we spent much of our time trying to be mischievous and it was well worth the effort. besides the idea we once had of somehow leaving a trial of lilacs behind us wherever we went, this is one of our more important moments.

When i was a young' un growing up in a very small town, a fascinating product began to be distributed by the all important vendor of necessary kid items such as hello kitty chapstick and penny candies (since extinct). This newfangled contraption was known as a "water wienie" basically is was a length of rubber tubing in which one attached a plastic insert that resembled an empty pen. it also came with a little screw in lid that attatched to outside water spigots and allowed the lucky owner to fill the rubber tubing with precious water (only in times of plenty) and roam around the little town looking for victims. Em and I had been victims before, mostly of her brothers and my nieghbors the villianous trio of brothers who liked very much to bother us on occasion. Anyway pennies were saved and earned, tubing was bought and filled and me and em were out on the town looking for our own victims. We didn't get very far. At the bottom of my hill lived a lovely old lady and her somewhat crusty husband. They very innocently went for a drive in a nice shiny car and happened to pass us just as our mission began. Em looked at me with burning in her eyes, i looked back with a mix of horror and anticipation, and em let it fly on the silver Cadillac. We erupted with glee and sent squirts of victory into the air. said glee was short lived as the crusty ole owner abruptly stopped his shiny wheels, through 'er in park and stalked back to yell at two extremely careless, helpless, and harmless little girls. Those wienies instantly lost their cache. defeated we shuffled back home where we hid from the surety that our all knowing mothers would learn of our escapades and march us over to apologize. i think our hiding was in vain. i don't remember any further repercussions. although i am sure many a toddler was spared a good soaking by two well armed 9 year olds.

dearest em, i cherish all those memories, you are simply a hero of mine. my first 18 years benefited greatly from you. thank you for your bravery.