My Sisters

My sisters and I got into a "remember when..." conversation recently.  At a wedding (which may or may not have influenced the direction of our conversation).

It's funny how time and memories can alter any event.  Each pair of eyes sees a different image.  Could there really have been only one image to begin with?  People say that hind sight is 20/20.... they could not be more wrong.  

My sister's wanted to allude to an event that my memory finds rather hazy.  Something about my refusal to admit that I was going to get married.  My sisters would have you believe that whenever the opportunity arose I was all about condemning marriage.  Saying things like, "who say's I'm even getting married, anyway?" I was a born feminist, I guess.

I, however, remember a very different event.  A car trip.  In this car trip my sisters and I are playing a game of M.A.S.H. or some other nonsensical girly game.  Perhaps they were playing and I was overhearing.  Perhaps I was playing too.  That part has slipped from my mind.  What I do remember was the taunting.  "You're going to die alone!  You and your 20 cats!" The part about the 20 cats was definitely a word for word quote.

There was nothing I could say to dissuade them of this, if my memory serves.  It might because, I had denied it on previous occasions.  Maybe.  But, that is the marriage memory I have.

Anyway, when I brought up this fond childhood memory, my sisters seem to have completely forgotten this event.  My sister, who we all claim has the memory of an elephant (at least where she is concerned) laughed and said she had no recollection of such an event.

It's funny what we hang on to.  I remember being entirely offended and hurt.  My sisters remember a girl who refused on principle to marry as an adult.

The past is such a pliable thing, it would seem.  It changes as we change.  Pieces disappear and others appear years later.  Who can tell what really happened.

But, as a point of memory keeping, which I suppose a blog can act as, if I so choose it to, I will add this memory to the mix:

The dreaded, who's getting married next came up during this same conversation.  And, since my little brother is suddenly facebook friendly (i.e. relationship status change-worthy) with a cheerleader at school, my sisters and I felt it would be important to set up some ground rules.

The word "BIRTH ORDER" came up several times.

It was pounded in and spelled out.  Our brother was not, under any circumstance, allowed to marry before any of his older sisters.  With the small caveat loop hole that he proposed himself : in the event that we (his sisters) were still single on his 30th birthday (a non-negotiable number) he would then be allowed to marry with our consent.

The other rule introduced was the rule of "PERMISSION."

This rule involved the permission receiving of all siblings prior to a marriage.  Our brother was to ask each of us for our permission prior to even asking the father's permission.

Now, this relationship may be new and against great odds, but my sisters and I would take no chances.

The rules were followed by (no surprise since both of my sister's are born teachers) a list a consequences should either of these rules be broken.

Threats, if you will.  I believe blackmail, stalking, harassment, terrorism, and even physical violence may have been thrown around.

"We would track you down."

"You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family" (or nose?)

Anyways, the girl would feel unwelcome, was the point, I believe.



I feel better having written the rules down.  They seeem more impermbiable and solid typed out this way.

I hope my sisters remember these rules, because I think they apply to each of us.  That's right.... BIRTH ORDER people.