Day 17: Who Raised You?

Date: February 17, 2010
Friend: Becky Scherbring
Activity: An Education, errands
Location: Oakview AMC and thus and such
Total $ Spent: $0

I am she and she is me. She is my best friend and sometimes worst enemy. She is my inspiration, my role model, my Achilles heel, my soul mate. My big sister “Leroy” is the reason for everything I am, and everything I do. Fine, I will take some credit for being my own person. But anyone who has grown up with a sibling knows the profound impact of their partner in crime. My sister didn’t create me, but my sister made me.

Becky is a second grade teacher who is fortunate enough to job share her classroom. This means she works half days and every other Wednesday all day. Today was her day off and it was the perfect day for our date. We decided....wait, she decided a few days ago that we should see as many of the 10 movies nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award before the show. We made an attempt by starting with Inglourious Basterds but I'm sorry to say that we didn't finish the film. So today we decided to use our gift cards to see An Education for our $1 date. Our gift cards covered the cost of our tickets and our snacks. I had a tiny bag of popcorn and a cup of water and she had a soda and nachos, which we shared. Have you ordered movie nachos lately? They have vastly improved since the days of the stale chips and the coagulated orange faux cheese. AND, they taste better. I know you don't believe me, but man oh man that queso was delicio!

The movie was good, really good. But was it "Best Picture" good? Eh, not so much. The performances are strong and the story is definitely interesting. Unfortunately, we just weren't that moved. We didn't leave the theatre thinking "this was my favorite movie of the year!" I kind of think a Best Picture nominee should knock your socks off and rock your world a little bit.

After the movie and a strange encounter with a Cyndi Lauper look-alike in the women's restroom who mysteriously developed a New York accent while warning us against cell phone salesmen, we went to Kohl's to take care of Becky's exchanges. Me and Becky and Kohl's is usually intensely dangerous. Almost as bad as Target. But guess what, y'all? We both escaped without spending anything!! I was tempted by the sale on.....ahem.....personal undergarments, but I walked away. I did find these terry cloth shorts interesting. Why in the world would someone need terry cloth shorts? Does this mean I'm getting old? They were soft and everything, but I can't imagine they are very practical. Can't you just feel them shifting into all the wrong places? I digress. I also gazed at the Vera Wang bedding designs. Yummy.

From Kohl's, we went to the Verizon store to window shop for our "new every 2" phone upgrades. The rep that checked us in was chewing gum, texting while showing us phones, and kept saying things like "I don't think we do that here" and "um, I'd have to check. Did you want me to check?" like a full-on valley girl. Super helpful, let me tell you. Becky and I can speak with our eyes and as soon as we heard her voice, our green eyes met and flickered the following conversation, "oh my God, is she for real?" "Yes, and don't make me laugh." We also have a gift for communicating while brushing our teeth or swishing mouthwash. We can even do this over the phone and completely understand what the other one is saying. I swear, I'm not making it up.

We both dug into our purses to see if we had coupons for a 2-for-1 or a cheap meal so we could grab lunch. And what do you know? We carry the exact same coupon-holder-file-thingie. Nerd alert!

Becky wanted to get home and spend some time with her Charlie, and I needed to work on some of my "Life To-Do List." I made it through many items, but is one's Life List really ever finished? I hope not. Anyway, tonight happened to be our dinner night with our mom. I don't really consider that as part of our $1 date, but it just so happens I didn't spend any money on that either since it was Becky's turn to provide food.

I think pretty much everyone knows that our mom has Asperger's Syndrome, and that our relationship with her is anything but conventional. If you would like to read more, you can read my article in Autism Asperger's Digest at http://www.autismdigest.com/. It's called The Story of Fred and Leroy and it details our childhood of knowing our mom was different but not knowing why. It's no secret that I hope to write a full book about it...in the not so distant future?

At the end of our day/dinner we painted our nails in funky colors. She chose a crazy cool matte blue and I went for disco-ball glitter. Charlie wanted to help and Bryan ended up with some color as well.

Becky was my first playmate and my first teacher. She was my first friend and first co-star. Dance routines, fashion shows, works of art, concerts (public and private), and roller skating. She was even my first co-worker when we started our own babysitting business, the "Super Summer Sister Sitters." And of course she was my first boss. I carried her purse for most of the 1980's. If I'm lucky enough to write a book about my mom, then I intend to follow up with a book about my sister. It's the only way I can ever really tell her how grateful I am that she raised me (with a little help from our dad, of course).

On deck for day 18: Lora. I'll be seeing you.....