Technicalities

After I got home from school today, Maggie called me upstairs. She specifically requested me, rather than Mama, which is somewhat unusual. As I reached the top of the stairs, I saw her proudly holding one of Sarah’s new dresses, as if she were wearing it, with most of it bunched up on the floor.

I laughed and said something banal, but Maggie decided she wanted to show me what it looked like “for real.” She started yanking aggressively at the zipper at which point I began to wonder if this was a good idea. I asked, “Maggie, are you sure Mama is ok with this?”

“Well,” Maggie ponders, “I did it this morning too!”

I slowly digested this, when Sarah’s voice floats up the stairs, “What you meant to say, Maggie, was, ‘Mama told me I’m not allowed to wear her new clothes.'”

“Oh yeah.” Maggie rolls her eyes and tosses the dress back on the bed.