Uncles and Hallways

Uncles Kenny and Ed were in town this past weekend, visiting from Kansas City. Mary and Kate adore the uncles, want them around all the time, and were quite upset, sobbing from Kate, when they took their leave on Sunday. I have known Uncle Kenny since college, he is an old friend, an old shoe who knows me very well, loves me still and dotes on my children. And he knows all my stories. Often, when I meet friends of his, they smile, shake my hand and then do this slow recognition...oh wait, Ally who went through the drive through without any money Ally? Right! Or, Ally...oh Ally who drove through the store window Ally? Of course. Uncle Kenny has a repertoire of Ally stories and he never, ever uses them to his advantage, unless that includes regaling his friends with the mad stupidities of my youth (and my not so youth). Whenever I do something, let's say silly, I call him immediately, in case he meets someone new and needs something to chat about. He urges me to keep a record of these ditties, to write them all down someday, which I will do, but I'll need his help, his memory being much better than mine, at least where my sillies are concerned.

My antics are now secondary to those of Mary and Kate, and he loves hearing these. After a weekend visit he will call, two or three times, to have me remind him of just exactly what they said. Often when they visit we get a room at the same hotel and then have a "sit in the hallway party" after the girls go to bed. Jack and I do this whenever we travel, great way to meet your hotel neighbors. Try it, room service does deliver to the hallway, although the posteriors do get a smidge uncomfortable after a few hours. You would not believe how many people stop to ask if we have locked ourselves out. Maybe I am smarter than the average traveler but if I was locked out, perhaps I would walk down to the lobby and get myself a new key? Jack has decided the next time we get that he is responding with this: No, just traveling with my parents and tonight it's their turn.

The Uncles would be horrified.