[I know most people are breathing deeply and not posting today, but--while I make no promises about continuing on an every-day-for-the-rest-of-my-miserable-and-tacky-life basis--I still have stuff to say! So...]
One of Em's best friends had her 11th birthday party last night. Except it wasn't a birthday party, exactly--it was C and Em and C's mom and dad having a Big Time night on the town. The plan was to rent a limo, go have dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, cruise down Hollywood Boulevard to take in the sights, and then return to C's house for ice-cream cake and a sleepover. C and Em have been talking about and planning for this for months, choosing and discarding outfits, coordinating earrings, picking out the stuffed animals that would accompany them on their journey. (They may be growing up too fast, but parts of them are lagging deliciously behind.)
Putting aside my personal feelings about hosting such an event were the tables turned (I. Would. Rather. Die.), I was excited for Em, and stayed to chat with C's mom when I dropped her off this afternoon. While I was there, the phone rang. It was the limo company, calling to apologize, but they had a little problem: the limo that C's mom and dad had rented was not going to be available this evening. But, to make it up to them, the limo company would be glad to offer them a choice of a Hummer H-2 stretch limo, or an Escalade. Repeating this all aloud to the girls, C's mom then asked, "So, which would you guys prefer?"
"The Hummer!" the girls screeched in unison, already beginning to jump up and down. But, suddenly, Em stopped jumping.
"But, oh..." she said, her face falling. "I don't know. I mean, Hummers are really bad for the environment, right Mom?"
Pause. Cue hysterical laughter.
Sometimes I wonder if stories like these translate properly on a blog...if it's possible for me to make you understand just how hysterical and how simultaneously, heartbreakingly sweet that moment was. But C's mom and I both had to wipe tears from our eyes. Luckily, Em was only indignantly embarrassed about being laughed at for a few seconds, until I managed to stop giggling and hugging her long enough to assure her that a single ride in a Hummer limo would not, on its own, destroy an entire rainforest or the Alaskan wilderness.
P.S. She was totally over it by the time they stopped by our house on the way home in the limo to pick up C's cake (we have an extra fridge/freezer in our garage, and C's mom's fridge was too small to fit the cake, so I offered to store it for a few hours, since we live right around the corner from them). In fact, she was so over it that she dragged me outside to see how the limo had HARDWOOD FLOORS (since when have hardwood floors become luxurious?) and all sorts of (exceptionally tacky, though she thought they were awesome) neon lights and stuff all over the walls and ceiling, etc. C's dad told me Em had hung out the moon roof as they cruised Hollywood Boulevard, yelling at everyone she could see that it was her friends birthday, and managed to garner C quite a few birthday wishes. I'd say "that's my girl," but really? That is the complete opposite of me. So, instead, I'll say, "that one fabulous girl," and leave it at that.
3 comments:
Yes it's a case of 'it takes all sorts.'
Best wishes
So the next time I see a stretch Hummer limo driving down the road and wonder, "Who are those people??!!" I'll know.
Sounds like it was a great night and one the girls will remember for some time to come.
I'm cracking up here! Because, you know, "regular" limos are so environmentally friendly :D. But that is awesome that she paused and reflected, and doubly awesome that she had such a wonderful night on the town! (And geez, I didn't have a limo night on the town till I was about to be married. Things sure have changed since my day :D)
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