Summer of Omaha

Aunt Barb

"God, Maddie, she's 55 years old but she acts like a slobbish teenager! She watches South Park, have I told you that?" I heard loud footsteps coming up to my room and I immediately hung up on my friend. She had called to see if I could go to a movie with her, only to find out I had been abruptly banished to spend the summer in Omaha with my weird Aunt.

"Hey Andie! I'm going out with some friends and I can't find the right bra!" She yelled.

I wondered how she thought I should respond to that. "Aunt Barb, I would imagine we're very different sizes..." I started.

"No no you crazy bitch I have a drawer in there with all my lingerie! Can you open it up and get the red--"

"Why don't I let you in Aunt Barb?"

"Good idea!"

I got up from where I had been sitting amongst my unpacked luggage on the floor and let her in. She brushed past me aggressively, actually causing me to stumble over. No wonder I hadn't met her since I was little. My own mother was a pretty proper lady, easily intimidated and all. She probably couldn't stand her bold, brassy sister, Barb. Personally I couldn't stand either of them.

Aunt Barb found what she was looking for and started to head out. Then she stopped and turned to me.

"Andie, you seem like a reserved kid. That's not a good thing. Why don't you walk over to the high school a couple blocks over in an hour? They're having a big barbecue tonight as like an end of year thing. Everyone your age in the area will be there, and you should really meet some of them, or else you might end up spending the summer with me and my friends." She gave me a wink and left.