learning new words while repetitive lyrics overplay in the background

Mini and I were driving recently. Always the best time to find out what's going on. 

Please imagine us in our red, slightly-beat-up minivan with Neil Diamond playing in the background. Why, you ask, is this what we need to imagine? Well, because the car radio is broken. 

The CD player still works. Thank goodness for small favors. The other day Coach lowered the car window and the radio kicked back on for about 15 seconds. Life is  full of surprises. 

I do love Neil, but I also love to not lose my mind and THE REPETITION might kill me. It's an easy fix. I just haven't remembered to dig up more CDs for the car. Maybe I'VE JUST BEEN FEELING BLUE NOW AND THEN, or been drinking too much RED, RED WINE. Or maybe I've been distracted thinking about my old friend, WHEN NO ONE ELSE WOULD COME, SHILOH YOU ALWAYS CAME. I could go on, but I'll stop there. You're welcome. 

Mini and I were talking prom, prom-posals, etc. It dawned on me:  I always thought Mini and Tank might end up at his senior prom since she's a junior. You know, his friend needs a date and Mini is lots of fun, etc. This year they're only allowing seniors. One more covid bummer.  

The plan is to host prom at the Lincoln Park Zoo downtown. Basically an outside affair. No building utilization. And HOPEFULLY no rain. Duh. Because there isn't a tent. So, I guess we don't even go there in our minds or we end up like the Ghostbusters with the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Guy. An invitation to torrential downpour. 

The other option is to host it at the high school, outside. The seniors insist they will not attend if it's at the high school. Lame, is the word. 

Speaking of words, Mini taught me a new word. Backing up the bus, she's good friends with some of the senior girls. These 3 girls (Jen, Bea, & Tess) also happen to be part of Tank's group. When Mini shared some of the 'news' with me, I asked how Tank handles it that she's in-like-Flynn with these girls. Apparently, they agree to not acknowledge her relationship with them. Whatever works.

Anyway, Tank may or may not be going to prom with Tess.

Backing up further . . . I was invited to hang out with a group of moms at a restaurant after halftime last Friday (we just started football. Tank was on Homecoming court - introduced at half time of game). It's a long story, but the mom 'Eileen' who texted me the invite is someone I was once close with. Our kids lined up in age quite nicely. Her daughter, Bea, is Tank's age and they are now friends in high school, so is Mini. Eileen's husband and Coach got along great. 

Tank's cartwheel, that he calls a somersault.
There's a reason behind why he did
this when announced on homecoming court.
More later, but as usual . . . goofy.

I eventually realized that Eileen is wound incredibly tight and is a control freak, paling in comparison only slightly to my sister, Ann. About 8 years ago, I allowed distance, even before it was a cool covid habit. We'd recently transferred out of Catholic school, so it was natural. No harsh words spoken, just SPACE. For reference, Eileen and Mary Ann - good friends. 'Nuff said?

I was surprised when Eileen texted me. I didn't know who the other numbers belonged to in the group text. I like to be social, and I don't mind living on the edge in order to be social . . . since it's been so long. Living on the edge as in, who are these mystery women I'll be hanging with?

Eileen texted in the group:  Carol and Wanda will meet us there.

So I knew two names. Mini and Tank were curious to see how it would go, knowing  Eileen's bossy demeanor can get me riled up. They were also anxious to see who the mystery moms were. 

The evening was fun. I knew Carol because her son played sports with Lad. The other four women didn't know me, but they do now. I'm not shy. At one point, mid-story, I came up for air and Eileen told everyone:  Ernie always has the best stories.

Making a mental note to share one of these stories here soon (do I say that a lot and then forget to deliver? Feel free to scold me /remind me of how I'm leaving you hanging). 

Mini was waiting up when I got home. She wanted details. How's that for role reversal? I told her I met the moms of the other 2 girls she's buddies with who are also buddies with Tank. (already knew Bea, Eileen's daughter).

Me:  SO JEN IS GOING TO PROM WITH MIKE? AND BEA ALREADY HAS A DRESS? LIKE ARE PEOPLE ASKING THEIR DATES ALREADY? DOES TANK HAVE A DATE?

*It was almost April. I'm still clueless about what month we're in. I'm blaming covid, but could it be brain freeze due to overplaying of Neil Diamond?

Mini:  Cross your heart and promise not to breathe a word, obviously. Tank DOES have a date. He's going with Tess.

Me:  WELL, WHEN DID HE ASK HER?

Mini:  YOU DON'T GET IT. (shock) LIKE, FIRST THEY TALK. THEN THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING AND THEN HE DOES THE PROM-POSAL LATER. (sometimes I'm glad I'm old and I've already lived this stuff because it's way more complicated now).

So, holy digression - Mini and I were driving  and she's telling me about guys in her grade (not Tank's grade) who are just weird and how one of them really liked Tess. "When Tess tried to get this weird guy to leave her alone, he was BUTTHURT." 

That's the whole point of the post, just took me awhile to get here. I'm trying to keep you all abreast of new words. Mini kept repeating it, as I was confused. She was irritated and told me, LIKE HIS BUTT HURT BECAUSE SHE DUMPED HIM EVEN THOUGHT THEY WEREN'T DATING. 

Me:  I understand the two words, just never heard them combined like that. 

A show of hands, who misses high school? When Tank asked how the night was, I told him there was prom talk. "Do you have a date?" - to which he said no. A show of hands, who thinks Tank is going to prom with Tess? Who loves Neil?

*edited to add:  I dug around in the car and found a scratched CD of Paul Simon (You Can Call Me Al, one of my favs) and the other Neil disk. It was a 2 disk set and this newly found, also scratched, CD is the better of the two. Life is good.