Quilts, Tacos & Tattoos

Red, White & Hot

                  

We ordered taco salad from the Local Taco every second Friday of the month during our staff meetings. It was the only time we ate lunch together. I loved Taco Salad Fridays, but I could not help but watch the fifty painful minutes of our never-ending staff meeting tick by. I had the Friday Night Dip n' Dance at the local Marble Falls public swimming pool on my mind, and I wanted out of the meeting ASAP.

   "Ladies, next week is one of our biggest sales weeks of the year!" Mom commanded our attention as we finished our lunch.

I find the whole concept of "Christmas in July" just ridiculous. Who started the tradition of trying to sell Christmas projects in the middle of the summer? I bet they weren't from Texas! Texas in July is just gross! It is painful to go outside. Once you open the door, the sunlight is blinding. Then the heat hits you like a wave and crashes any hairstyle you attempt to have. Air-conditioning is a must, but air-conditioning means the thermostats of most stores, churches, and restaurants are set on chill. All air-conditioned buildings are like huge refrigerators. All summer long I keep a sweater in my car to keep from freezing due to the Texas heat.

Mom was going on and on and on, so I got up and started to pull the boxes out of storage that we use to decorate the store for Christmas. I began to pile the stuff on the table next to this year's Christmas fabric order, which I had unpacked and aired out earlier that day: snowmen, reindeer and Santa prints with polka dots and stripes in various shades of country yellow, red, cream and green. They were really beautiful. The next day we would begin cutting the fabric for pre-assembled quilt kits.

I was daydreaming at the cutting mat when I heard the cowbell ding. I panicked. I stood up so quickly, I knocked over the stool. I bent over to pick up the stool when I heard a voice. "Hello?"

Luanne came from the back answering him, "Well how can we help you, Sweetie?"

I knew right away it was Tyler Bowan from school. What was he doing here? I stood up slowly and smiled, "Hi."

"Hi. I'm here to pick up my mother's sewing machine."

"Cricket, would you go and check with Poncho to see if it is ready. What is the last name?"

"Bowan," Tyler and I said together.

"I'll be right back." I went to the back and asked Poncho to pull the ticket and machine for Bowan and then ran into the bathroom. I couldn't help but remember what happened at the end of the school year.

I was standing in front of my speech class delivering the opening line, "This is not your everyday cheese cake. It is a cream cheese pie." A school-wide announcement interrupted the class with a crackle.

"All students and teachers, please report to the bleachers for a special announcement."

Obviously knowing this message was code for something else, our teacher began to panic. Mrs. Shannon was a tall, broad woman with a smooth, rhythmic voice. She had a commanding presence. When I saw her panic and then squeal, "Quickly everyone! Head outside." I went to grab my purse from my chair and she yelled, "Cricket, leave your purse. It is time to go now!"

The teachers were huddled together at the bottom of the bleachers, while the students were organized by class, just like during assembles, but everyone seemed to be moving around a lot and the teachers were not paying any attention to the students.

I was sitting in the top corner of the bleachers looking for Jimmy Sue, my best friend, when I saw Tyler and his group of guys walking toward me. "Hi, Peaches," he called to me with a wave. As if someone could be behind me, I turned around to see who he was talking to. When I turned back around, he walked up and sat at my feet with three of his friends. "So what are you wearing to prom?"