MEMOIR MONDAY

I remember...
It is December and time to decorate the tree in the basement and the rest of the house, too. Cousin Dale is staying for the weekend, so that means the fun and the teasing will begin. I hear mom upstairs in the kitchen mixing the Ivory soap to make the make-believe snow for the tree. Glancing at the tree filled with red and silver balls and the bright twinkly lights makes me feel warm and safe.

"Hey, Dale," I scream up the stairs, "Bring down the soap so we can put it on the tree."

"Only if I get to start first," he yells back at me. I can't believe he is doing this on Christmas. He always has to be first and the best. Why can't he let me do something first once in awhile?

As he gallops down the stairs, I see the gleam in his eyes and know I am in for a challenge. He thrusts his hand into the glop and brings out a large amount of the "snow". In one swift motion he swings in onto the tree. There it lands with a plop. What a mess!

Slowly, I move over toward the bowl in his arms. I quietly dip my fingers into the soft foamy soap. It is cool and sticky on my hand. I lean over to the tree and gently drop small blobs onto each branch. I do it again and again and again. Then I step back to look. Yes, it does look like snow.

"Man, that really does look like snow," Dale exclaims in amazement as he looks over at me with a grin. Did I really hear what I thought I heard? We both step back and turn off the overhead, bright lights. The twinkly lights reflect off the snow. Maybe Christmas will be bright with Dale here after all!

Connected to Two Writing Teacher's blog.