Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves!

Remember those paddle ball toys, a wooden paddle with a rubber ball attached to it by a rubber band?  Yesterday when my Mother and I were at her house playing with Terrbear and going through the many toys she has for the grandchildren we stumbled upon one of those paddle ball toys.  Seeing this simple, old fashioned, cheap toy brought me back to a memory that when I shared with my Mother I realized almost totally and completely sums up my relationship with my sister Robin.

One summer when I was probably 5 or 6 and Robin was 10 or 11 we were sitting on the sidelines while my Mother played doubles tennis with 3 other women from our town.  A few yards away from us was the son of one of the women.  He was probably a year or so older than me and he was expertly playing with one of those paddle balls.  He was a pro, the ball slapped repeatedly back and forth in a rhythmic fashion, never missing it's target on the paddle and I was mesmorized.  He made it look so easy!  I was sure if given the chance, I would be equaly as skilled, if not more, than he was.  So of course I told Robin I wanted to try it.  Like, really, REALLY badly.  But being a shy kid, I didn’t have the gumption to ask him.  “Just ask him!” she urged me, probably tired of hearing my obsessive soliliqy at this point.  So finally at her urging I went over and shyly asked, “Can I try?”.  To which he without hesitation unequivocally responded, “No.” .  Hmmm, I wasn’t really prepared for that response.  Apparently neither was Robin because when I walked back to her defeated she asked in surprise, “He said no?!  Well, let me ask him.”  Now this is what I really wanted from the beginning, Robin was good at getting her way.  She had an authoritative and slightly bossy demeanor that made kids listen to her and a good-goody vibe that adults adored, there really wasn’t anyone who she couldn’t persuade to listen to her form of reasoning.  So together we walked over and she confidently said, “Hi, my sister Mandy would really like to try that, just for a moment, do you think you could let her?”  Which to my amazement and shock he replied, “NO.”  What?!  Where was this lunatic from?  Just who did he think he was?  So we turned and walked back to our area dumbfounded and vexed.  Until...at some point he went to get a soda and wouldn’t you know it left his paddle ball game neatly sitting on a bench.  So of course we pounced on it and I immediately began spastically slamming the ball into the paddle while it flew back and forth at high speed.  It was all over the place, hitting me in the face, flying from left to right, needless to say I wasn’t quite as skilled as he was.  Suddenly the rubber band attached to the paddle couldn’t take the strain anymore and snapped.  We both froze in horror.  Crap!  What had I done?!  I just wanted to try it!  So what did we do?  We neatly placed it back on the bench just so and made it look like we had never been there and then faded into the shadows.  The poor kid came back, picked it up off the bench and the ball fell to the ground and rolled away.  We felt awful, but what could we do?  Right?  We tried reasoning with him!  We asked politely!  We didn’t want it to come to this damn it!  

When I told my Mother the story after a hearty laugh she exclaimed, “I don’t believe it!  My two little angels!  You and Robin were always so well behaved!  And honest!”  and I said, “I know, but we had our own brand of justice, sister justice.  Afterwards when we felt bad about the fact that I broke it Robin reasoned that it wasn’t really that bad because after all, “if he had just agreed to share it this all never would’ve happened.”  I liked her logic and felt secure that the universe indeed does work in cyclical and mysterious ways.  

Now, I know it was rotten of us to do, and this story aside I swear we really are very nice girls, but sometimes you just need someone to have your back.  Robin always has, and still does have my back.  Tomorrow and Sunday Robin and I are participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer (perhaps in light of what undercover hooligans we were as children this will help balance our Karmic bank account a bit?) and together we will walk all day both days, camp out overnight and have raised over $3500 for a cure.  Stories like the paddle ball tale make me realize that this is exactly the type of person who I want walking all those miles with me.  Together we have fun, we laugh, we get each other and of course, we always have each others backs.  If I stumble or make a mistake my sister is there to support me and even put a positive spin on the whole situation.  I am so excited, anxious, exhilarated, proud and moved by this cause and  know that this will be an uplifting and moving weekend, and I’m so happy that the person who has always been my partner in crime, my advocate, my champion, and big sister will be walking with me. I am so blessed to have not only Robin but four hilarious, loving, supportive, and amazing sisters walking with me through life.  

We have been preparing for the walk, fundraising, getting our gear, anticipating this weekend for months.  And it is finally upon us!  It has been such a wonderful experience and the support we have received from everyone in our lives has been inspiring.  Thank you to everyone for their words of support and encouragement, prayers, donations, and positive energy, each and every one of you will be in our thoughts and prayers as we walk towards a cure this weekend.

Comments

[Missy]

Go get 'em Girls! Have great time! xoxo

[sarah]

Good luck! Yay for you two!

[Robin]

Ahh, Mandy did you have to make me cry?! You are such an amazing writer, I don't know what to write back except to use your words. I will always have your back, I know it is one of the things I was born to do. You bring so much joy and laughter to my life. I love you and I can not wait for our adventure to continue this weekend.

[Jamie]

You two are adorable!