Unconventional Piper Night
Saturday, December 9, 2006
For the last two John Piper lectures of the season – Joe had a car detailing job, Magnus was working, Susie was at home celebrating Sasha’s eleventh birthday, Molly was babysitting, Bob B. said something about putting up his Christmas tree or eating pizza instead, and Wallace and Curly were nowhere to be found. So the gathering saw only OLeif, Collette, Ben-Hur, Augustus, and Rose that evening.
This was followed by a rather squished car ride around town to look for a good eating place.
“Wendy’s! Let’s go to Wendy’s,” Augustus finally suggested. “I’ll get their jalapeño cheeseburger. Yum. Rose is the jalapeño in my cheeseburger.”
Rose was wedged in between the boys in the back.
“That makes you two the hot meat patties,” OLeif added, to both boys.
“With no buns,” Rose said flatly.
Augustus and OLeif roared with laughter.
“Nice one!” Augustus gave her a high five.
“Did she insult us?” Ben-Hur asked a few moments later.
But Wendy’s was closed. So they hit the Jack in the Box instead.
“Does Telemachus like Jack in the Box?” Ben-Hur asked, referring to baby.
Collette was sure he would. So there were giant burgers and shakes and Augustus’ special creation: strawberry soda lemonade, which he raved about for the rest of the evening.
On the ride back, Augustus shivered from lack of much body heat.
“Rose, start putting out more warmth!” he commanded, shaking from the frigidness.
“I’m trying; I have on my bunny fur coat. That should be warm enough.”
“Well, it’s not working.”
Then Rose received a call from Joe to let her know that the reason Wally and Curly had not been able to attend the John Piper lectures, was because they had gone to the movies instead – James Bond.
“Paganheads,” was Rose’s response.
As they approached the church, the topic had switched gears:
“Wouldn’t it be funny if Rose goes to Egypt and there’s some sixteen year-old Egyptian or something over there who likes her?” Ben-Hur suggested.
“Yeah, and he can’t speak any English,” Augustus said loudly.
Ben-Hur imitated: “Alahlalalalalahalah-jihad!”
“Ha ha! Did you just say jihad?” OLeif laughed.
“Something jihad, terrorism… ‘But I love you!’”
Meanwhile, Saturday – Joe and Rose would spend most of the day with Magnus, Wallace, Curly, and the other choir students at a rehearsal and performance with the orchestra at Lindenwood University. So while they were there, Linnea wanted to go caroling with some of the people from church in Cottleville, so she, Mom, and Frances ended up passing out the candy canes that Rose had threaded through the flyers the day before. Then Mom and Dad would be attending the neighborhood progressive Christmas dinner with the Plums while Carrie-Bri was at work and Rose kept an eye on Frances, Linnea, Hansel, and Gretyl. And OLeif had computer work that would require at least a solid twelve hours, and Collette had an entire apartment to clean. So Saturday was set.
And similar to many industrious activities which are put on hold till further notice, Collette was only ever able to clean the kitchen, wash the dishes, and see to the laundry. The rest of the apartment was left for another Saturday. And by noon, OLeif decided that it was time to take a break, and they took off to run a few errands. Upon return, OLeif watched Battlestar Galatica over computer work while Collette made him fudgy buttons and bubble pizza, and tried not to let him have too many fudgy buttons before dinner.