Childhood Memories

As I have stated before, my sister and I are 10, yes count them, 10 years apart. She looks good for being older, I know, however, before she grew into her swan like self, she was a clingy, (ok, she still is that) snot that I got to babysit, without pay I might add. One summer in the lovely heat that is South Florida, she decided she wanted to take herself outside to play. We grew up in this 2 story apartment complex that had a sand pit and beyond the pit was the Intercoastal Waterway. This particular day she went to play in the pit, which I could view from our balcony as we were on the backside of this complex. I think she was about 3-4 so that made me negative 13-14. I'm watching my shows because let's face it, South Florida in the Summer gets bloody hot and I HATE to sweat unless I'm at the beach or pool. Some time passes and there is a knock on our door, it's the freaking cops WITH Debra. I have a heart attack but the Po-Po really isn't interested in me, he wants to talk with our MOTHER. Now, one thing you should know and I tell my kids this, the grandmother that stands before you is NOT the Mother I grew up with. Age has relaxed and calmed her considerably. The thought of waking my Mum up, she was a Nurse who worked the graveyard shift, before her wake up time was terrifying. I think at one point I told the Po-Po to just take me in because jail would be safer for me. He wasn't buying it.

I wake Mum up and tell her something snazzy like the cops are here. She gets up, quite happily too I might add, NOT, and goes to the door where they proceed to tell her that they found this lovely toddler at the ice cream store about 1/2 mile from our complex. Now, to be fair, we went all the time, she knew where she was and she really wasn't in any danger, promise. The clerks at our ice cream store then called the lovely North Palm Beach Po-Po because they recognized her but didn't exactly know where she lived. Well, thank God for her ID bracelet because that's how the cops were able to bring her home. Now, this story is funny, at least I think, but the thought that either of my little love muffins walking a foot much less 1/2 mile, give or take, without an adult scares the begesus out of me. However, their Auntie Eh-Eh was not really afraid of anything or anybody and honestly, she was cute enough to have been abducted but thankfully, that was not in her cards. She would have looked good on the milk carton though. I know I got into trouble but I guess my butt has healed because I really don't remember what the punishment was. But, it is another fun memory to throw around the dinner table when we discuss what a brat Debra was and sometimes still can be, like all of us. :)