When to tackle your sister

What a wonderful weekend! This was THE weekend in our little town, population 3,602. Saturday was the day of the Christmas festival and the parade! 

My sister came up to join me at the festival to sell our books. And we had an amazing day! Sister has been to many of these, it’s only my second, but she said she sold more at this one than at any other event she had gone to. It was certainly the best day for me, selling wise. 

An old boyfriend stopped by. Well we only dated once but my crush lasted longer. Although we’re friends on Facebook I hadn’t seen him since high school. It was such fun. I met his wife and she bought one of my books. I wonder what she’ll think and if I’ll ever know.

I had a former student drop by and buy one. She is around LJ’s age and she is now a doctor – how old am I? I gave my same spiel for the book, that it was about a sweet older couple still very much in love after being married for decades – with a touch of 50 Shades thrown in. It does seem to catch people’s attention and I feel that they are warned.

One interesting event happened. First, a bit about my sister. If my sister is your friend, you have a friend for life. She will take on the world for those she loves, her loyalty is unmatched. But if you’ve gotten on her bad side, there is no getting off. She will point out someone who cut her off in traffic over twenty years ago and as she’s telling it you’ll know she is still pissed! Her ability to hold a grudge makes me tired. 

One person from her high school days came up frequently over the years for the wrongs she did to my sister nearly fifty years ago. In fact this particular girl was the evil force behind the most horrid villain my sister has ever written – and in the end, the character died in the hands of my sister’s authorship! Of course she changed the woman’s name in the book, but it was a very ethnic name and she didn’t change it that much.

You guessed it – this woman was at the festival. Neither recognized the other, but the woman mentioned she had graduated the same year sister had. Then she said her name and I froze – really, this was the name of the devil in our family. I felt myself pulled in two separate directions. One part of me wanted to tackle my sister to the floor to prevent her from ripping the woman’s throat out. But at the same time I wanted to grab up the book Sister wrote about her and say, “You gotta read this, the evil villain is you!”

Gratefully my dear sister handled herself as an adult should. They spoke pleasantly and I even took a picture of them together. I knew Sister wanted to show the picture to her husband and daughter, who knew of this woman’s evil ways due to  Sister’s life-long inability let anything go. That only added a spark of excitement to the day. It was really a great day and I hope we can go back next year.

More workmen are coming this week. Hold a good thought for me!