February 22 – “Happy birthday, George”

Happy birthday, George.  Isn’t this the actual day George Washington was born?  I remember back in grade school when we used to have two separate special days in February, one for George and one for good old Honest Abe, on the actual days of their birth.  I can’t remember Lincoln’s but for some reason the 22^nd has stayed with me over all these years.  I remember doing artwork that was George’s silhouette.  Abe’s was a lot easier, though.  His always included that really tall hat he wore.  We had history lessons that actually related to George, like how he crossed the Delaware River standing up in a boat.  Hey, anything that happened in a boat was significant to a Born-On-Island kid.  It’s interesting to me that the lessons on Lincoln always included how he was assassinated.  I still don’t know how Washington died.  I know he wore that silly looking wig, though.  Guess that was his silhouette enhancer like Lincoln’s hat.  Anyway, Happy Birthday, George.

The other day when Cailyn was here she decided it was time to play “Go to the store.”  She was the checker.  I was to be the customer.  When she called me in to join the fun, I found a blanket laid out on the floor with various items for sale that had made their way from our pantry.  I had to sit down on the blanket with her.  I wouldn’t be able to see everything effectively from way up there where I spend most of my time.  So I creakily joined her on the blanket and made my selection.  I bought raisins.  Figured I’d go healthy right off that bat.  She scanned the package on the back of the couch.  Really.  Just made a deft swipe accompanied by the appropriate sound effects.  Sehe informed me the price was $40.  Whew.  Steep for a few raisins.  Must have been a drought year in Raisin Valley.  I forked over my imaginary money without too much fuss.  Then she put my purchase in an old WalMart bag and handed it to me, with a smile and a happy, “Thank you for shopping here.  Have a nice day.  Come back and see us.”  Eerie.  I think this little girl may have had altogether too much training in this particular area of expertise.  And little did I know that “Come back and see us” was not just a friendly gesture.  It was a statement of prophecy regarding my immediate future.  See, I attempted to return to the work I was doing at my desk, when I heard the next “invitation” to come to the store.  Not quite so sweet this time.  Not that it was ugly or anything.  Just a bit more intense.  And loud.  Definitely loud.  On my second trip I bought Cheezit snacks.  Again $40.  Oh, and part of the deal was I had to return the raisins.  Only one item per customer, I guess.  Again she “invited” me to come back.  I never even made it back to my office that time.  I got just about to the kitchen when she called me back.  I’ve always heard that this is a terrible way to buy groceries.  That time I bought Fruity Pebbles.  And again, $40.  That time when she invited me to come back, I said I didn’t have any more money.  And that effectively ended the game.  I think she was getting tired of it anyway, so my bankruptcy was a good excuse.  I wish I had hung onto those raisins, though.  I’m getting kind of hungry.

Psalms 67:5 says, “May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.”

Father, thank you for raisins and Cheezits and Fruity Pebbles and little girls who learn.  Amen.