Afternoon of An Imp

Mom found this today when she was going through my Great-Grandmother's stuff.  This is about me at 2 years old when I was at a neighbor's house.  I really liked my parent's Subaru, as you will find out. :)

"Ya Ya" is Gram, "Meow" is our neighbor's cat, and "the Mama" is Mom.

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Afternoon of An Imp

What a relief to get out of the car seat and stretch the legs and chase While Cat.  But the Mama kept insisting that she go in and visit “Uncle” Bob and “Aunt” Maggie with her. What a bore! The sun was still high, and everything beckoned.  Why go in?

At the door she paused and drew back.  She would rather stay outside with Meow and Ya Ya.  Meow sensed danger and took cover under “Uncle” Bob’s truck.  Searching eyes, looking for fun, spotted the Mama’s open car door.  Hesitating not a moment, the just-turned-two explorer climbed back into the car, and scrambling between the front seats to that coveted position behind the wheel, was now in command!

Beside her, Ya Ya watched with amazement as an exuberant and delighted dynamo tested buttons, tried the key, was disappointed and perplexed when the windows didn't respond, though the right buttons were pressed.  No matter.  The lights overhead answered the signal and the stick shift moved agreeably as the left hand turned the wheel deftly.  Ya Ya kept a nervous hand on the emergency brake.

All was done with alacrity ... with the urgency of a thief who knew that time was short, all the while casting hurried grins of conspiratorial glee at Ya Ya that said, “ Isn't this great!  Aren't you glad you came along?  Who wants to visit when they have this!”

Radiating sparks of excitement filled the air, while Ya Ya watched the buttons and the brake and the key as small fingers flew and warnings were blithely ignored about rolling back into the street.  Darting looks revealed a small powerhouse of energy overflowing with keen anticipation of an explorer just setting out on uncharted seas.  They said, too, “Poor Ya Ya.  She’s too old for this kind of fun.”

After such a daring adventure ... all too brief, it was agony to be plumped into a car seat again.

Back home, the Mama’s exasperated voice could be heard above the screams, “You are too much!” as Ya Ya headed for the Hermitage with relief.

-Isabel Miller - May 28, 1998