Beep Beep and Italian Adventures

My new laugh memory.

You have to keep a laugh memory inside. Tuck it away for safe keeping. Bring it out when you need it the most. Laughing is a cure for most anything.

Last night I went into the girl’s room before I went to bed, just like I do every night.
If I didn’t then the part of the movie where you have to choose play, would repeat over and over again. The Shrek one is especially obnoxious at 3am. “Pick me”, “Pick me, is repeated over and over.

Anyway as I walked into the room my daughter’s face was illuminated by the TV light perfectly and I stared at it for a moment, memorizing the lines. When all of a sudden I found myself doing something very silly that made no sense. I reached out and pushed on her nose twice and said, OUT LOUD, “Beep Beep”.
Now this is something I have done a thousand times to every small child. I have a thing about the little button noses that makes me want to press them like a button and say, “Beep Beep”. (Try it, it’s truly appropriate..) anyway, why I said it out loud was odd, since she appeared to be sound asleep.

But she wasn’t.

She slowly opened one eye as if to say, “Who is this person pressing my nose and saying Beep Beep.” “Surely, it is NOT the lady I call Mom who tells me to clean up 30 times a day and works a lot.”

Then she giggled, and then laughed out loud at the absurdity of it. Then I laughed at my complete absurdity and then we were both rolling and laughing with tears streaming down our faces.

And now this middle child (who is truly a middle) and I have something special we can share.
My Mom and I had a special wave. It’s something I will never forget (although, about 15 years went by where I didn’t RECALL it) until one day the image of us waving goodbye to each other in our special way popped in my head and made me feel like tears were streaming down my face….

I went to bed laughing, and woke up and laughed out loud while trying to put my contacts in. I know it doesn’t seem very funny or remarkable. You probably had to be there or be me or her in that moment to find it remotely funny. But for some reason it happened.

It helped me out today at work though as I sat in on a meeting having a mini panic attack.

Today we had a visiting Client from Italy. But unfortunately, 15 minutes in,  the other half of WE, ran out of the conference room pale faced. He returned awhile later to announce that he and a borrowed bucket were on their way home. He was downed man 2 of the 5 man down flu going around.

So I was left with Mr. Italy. Which is fine. I can handle myself in a meeting. I have always been excellent at the appropriate timed head nod, and faking that I know EXACTLY what you are talking about –
you and I, we are ON the same page.


But I was panicking because downed Man 2, was supposed to take Mr. Italy to the airport and now that job was left to me.

I haven’t been to the airport in eight years. I have never been to the airport with an Italian fellow in my Mom-Van making small talk.

I don’t think Italian women drive men anywhere. He seemed VERY nervous about me driving him. He asked if I was good driver and asked what kind of car I drove and seemed leery of this word VAN, I say.
I assured him we would be fine.

There was a slight bead of perspiration on his forehead while we were on the highway and I was trying to get my GPS to cooperate. (My British accent lady GPS!!) But after a few miles, lots of small talk, and my apologies about the state of my car
(MY CAR!!! I didn’t know I would be driving a client from Italy who drives an Alpha Romeo in my Salt covered Mom van!!!! –I could kill downed Man 2 if he weren’t already dying in his bathroom)
He turned to me and said, “You are good driver” (in strong Italian accent)

HIS car

Not MY car, Mine is WORSE

On my drive back to the office I laughed at myself. I used to be the girl who travelled all over, who talked to strangers every single day, what was I panicking about???

But from now on, my car is going to be cleaned on a regular basis.

Did you laugh out loud at anything today or have any minor panic attacks?