Although Anna and I have been friends for about...hmmmmm... 4 years.... there are things we are still learning about each other, now that I can trudge across the front yard in my pjs and slippers on a Saturday morning-- before I've had coffee.
One evening we were sitting on Anna's back veranda (we really call it a patio in Texas, but I like veranda because it brings to mind visions of ladies in hoop skirts and huge hats, sipping mint juleps), and Anna makes the following statement...
"Until I moved next door to you, I didn't realize how girly you are." At this, she squinches up her nose and says, "You're reeeeally girly."
"How so?" I gulp. Puzzled. How could anyone ever be toooooo girly?
And she begins her list. Anna is nothing, if not logical. "Well, I've noticed how emotional you are. Instead of getting mad when someone wrongs you (using the words " is a total d***** bag to you"), you cry and get upset. I just get mad." Of course, this statement hurts my ever so "girly" feelings, just a tad.
"Ok... I'll give you that one. I'm an emotional girl." I'll be the first to admit that I tend to overreact, and I sometimes cry at poignant commercials or sappy country songs. Truly.
"And," she continues. "You're a terrible driver". This may sound mean, or out of the blue, but it is not. I had just detailed to her how I had hit the bar that sticks out of the drive up window at Dairy Queen with my rearview mirror that day. Ooops. Sorry DQ, I was just anxious to get my dipped cone. It just took off a little of the red formica... but, did no damage to my Honda.
"Yes, I would agree." I am a bad driver- in the city. But, I can navigate a winding country road like nobody's business. Passing tractors, avoiding stray cattle, and taking sharp corners with the precision of Jeff Gordon are my specialty.
"And..." No, no... she's not done yet. "When you plan a party, you always want it to have a theme."
"Of course it needs a theme...", I defend myself, "it makes the pictures cuter. And the pictures make the party." This, I learned from my long ago sorority days. Really long ago... cause although I was girly... I was not snotty... so sorority didn't really work out for me long term.
With this she said... "See?"
Oh.... I never really thought of myself as excessively girly. I'm not scared to get dirty. I actually enjoy mowing the yard, cleaning the pool, weed eating (well-- maybe "enjoy" is a stretch). And I'm a bit of a "do-it-yourself-er" when it comes to home improvements. I know how to tape and bed. I'm good at sanding, painting, and I even know how to change out my own sprinkler heads. I've helped install tile, carpet, and sheet rock. And... I drink beer. All beer- not just the "light, sissy" beer. I would consider myself a beer "lover." I can also drive a standard (better than most men- in Dallas anyway) and saddle a horse. There's nothing "girly" about that! I cannot, however, pull a trailer. I think it goes back to the "bad driving" thing.
So, I'm an enigma (wrapped in a riddle and dipped in secret sauce) here in the city. Although I'm very, very feminine... I'm not a snotty, little, scared to get my hands dirty or put a little elbow grease into something, girl. I was always my daddy's girl growing up. I loved to go to the cattle auction with him, and ride around in the truck--begging to open the gate. My first BFF, Tina, and I would play outside for hours by the creek (coined "Rainbow" creek-- we were 5- original huh?) in the mud and water. True Paula Deen's with our delicious mud pies. In summer, we would swim in the cattle trough in our cute little ruffled swimsuits. We ran around barefoot catching... yes, butterflies.We were girly, but not sissy. If I skydive however... my parachute will most certainly match my outfit. Who wants to die in a clashing ensemble?
And, I would reason that Anna is correct. I am quite girly. I'm sure if I'm ever blessed with a lil' baby girl... she will wear bows as big as her head, and her wardrobe will be 95% ruffled. I am however not, nor will I ever be, a sissy. I'm not scared of bugs, or sweat, or hard work. I'm a bad driver, I cry when someone hurts my feelings, and I like my parties to have themes. So sue me?
And I love my lil' friend Anna cause she balances me out... and I make sure her parties are... well, that the pictures turn out cute. She'll thank me later.
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5 comments:
Dear Anna,
Hi! Nice to meet you. Devil's Advocate here.
Did it ever occur to you that you may not be girly enough? Or maybe that you purely feel uncomfortable with vulnerability and an attention to detail? Interesting point of discussion, don't you agree?
Devil's Advocate is older, not necessarily wiser, and would like to suggest to Country Girl Gone City that, when someone makes a comment about something - anything, it says more about the someone than the thing itself. :)
PJ! I read the blog to poor Anna last night after she shared her most delicious dinner of authentic Louisiana red beans/rice and homemade cornbread with me, and she said... "OMG, I sound like a total bee-yatch". Which was never my intent. Anna is a sweet doll and one of my very best friends. And I love her dearly, although I do make fun of our differences. She is a true friend who can be depended on when times are tough. But, she will be the first to admit... she's not that girly! And... well, I am... quite the opposite.
That's totally understandable about the bar at DQ. I'd take out an entire wall and a bank of booths to get to my dipped cone.
There are times that I wish my BFF lived next door instead of accross town. And then there are times that I enjoy just being alone...
It's nice to have a close friend nearby that you can spend time on the veranda catching up. Let's just hope you two stay close, otherwise being so close might turn out badly.
:-)
Thanks for your story! Themes are good!
I love a good theme party. And there is nothing wrong with being girly. I'm one of the girliest girls I know.
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