“And the teeter totter?”
“He loves watching those clips about barnyard animals.” She adds, “He’s trying to get me to agree to start breeding hedge hogs, but I told him I wanted no part of it. Who has the time?”
I don’t mention that she just professed to have all kinds of time. Instead, I say, “Bathing chickens will keep you busy.”
“Just Bernie.” Like this makes it an ordinary task.
“Mom,” I decide to tell her why I’ve called. “I got kissed last night.”
“Oh!” She sounds excited. “With the boy you’re fake dating?” She makes Thomas sound like he’s a teenager.
“Yes. He helped me move the beds from my old studio into the new space next door.”
“You didn’t happen to do anything else with those beds, did you?” She sounds particularly eager to hear the answer.
“We did not,” I tell her primly.
“Too bad,” she teases. At least I hope she’s teasing.
“After kissing me, he asked me out on a date, and I said yes.”
“I’m pleased to hear this, Finny. It’s time you get out there and paint the town red.”
“I don’t understand …”
“It’s an idiom, dear.” As a more literal person, I don’t usually track those things unless I’ve heard them several times before. This one is new.
“And it means …” I prompt.
“It means to have fun, party hard, get your groove on.”
“Okay then. I guess I’m ready to paint the town red. But if it’s okay with you, I might paint it pink instead. That’s a better color for me.”
“Paint it any color you want,” my mom tells me. “Just paint it!”
“Thanks for your support, Mom.”
“Always, Finny. I love you more than anything in the world.”
I really did luck out when it came to the parent lottery. “I better get up and get going,” I tell her. “I have a full day.”
“Okay, honey. I’m going to get Bernie out of her bath and give her a blowout.”
“You blow dry her?” I don’t know why this is more surprising than bathing her, but it is.
“It’s cold outside,” she tells me. “I don’t want her to get sick.”
“I guess that makes sense.” It really doesn’t. Bernadette is a chicken. She’s used to the elements, but I suppose my mom needs someone to nurture now that her own nest is empty.
“Let me know how the date goes,” my mom requests before hanging up.
I roll back over, but instead of getting out of bed, I wonder what Thomas would think if he ever met my parents. I realize he had better be full-on in love with me before I let that happen or he might bolt.
I eventually get up, shower, and head out to work. I’m supposed to start drivers’ ed over the weekend which means I’ll have to try to get to the Department of Motor Vehicles today and take the test for my permit. I’m pretty sure I’ll pass, even though I haven’t studied for it yet. I mean, how hard can it be? I spend a lot of time reading street signs while walking everywhere. I already know a lot.
Once I get to the shop, I turn on all the lights and hurry to the back to get ready for my first appointment. Margaret and Bob are coming in this morning. They’re venturing out of their bodice-ripping norm and going with a Tarzan and Jane theme. This required ordering vines that I’ve tied to a pipe hanging fromthe ceiling and palm fronds because Margaret thinks they might be more fun to use than loin cloths.
When they don’t show up at ten, I check my messages. There’s one from Margaret informing me that Bob tripped over a tree stump in the yard last night and broke his foot. While I’m bummed to not be using my creative juices this morning, I decide to use the time wisely and walk over to the DMV ahead of schedule.
