Shopping trip for school clothes!

As back-to-school time returns very soon I am thinking about going shopping to help replinesh the kids' wardrobes! My son is pretty much a breeze to buy for. My daughter is a different ballgame! What goes around comes around! When I became a teenager I no longer liked the things my mom picked out for me. And just like she used to say, "Wait until you have kids of your own"! Well, you were right, Mom!

Whenever back-to-school time approaches I am reminded about the fun times I spent with my mom shopping in Columbus for school clothes. We would go to Lazarus Westland. This was a big deal! We were going to the big city! Nevermind that my birthday is right around the time school starts! This shopping trip made it worthwhile! One particular year we decided to take my grandmother, her husband, and my aunt along with us. Mr. Davis was a good man, but he could annoy the heck out of my grandmother at times! We made our way through the store to start our trip. We got to the elevators and waited for one to come along. When the elevator doors opened up we walked inside with great anticipation and some anxiety. As a child I never cared much for the idea of becoming weightless in an elevator. My mom was even less enthusiastic about riding in them probably thinking at any moment we could be trapped in there or sent hurdling to the basement (thinking back on it I believe there were only three floors in Lazarus)! At the worst we would come out of it a couple inches shorter. Now at the Annex store in downtown Columbus which has several floors we would have been gonners!

My aunt decided to make conversation. She said, "I wonder if anyone has ever gotten their arm caught in the elevator doors"? We all smiled and looked around at each other. The elevator wasn't moving as of yet. Mr. Davis grinned and calmly walked over to the elevator doors. He stuck his arm out and allowed the elevator doors to close on it. My mother looked on in horror! She walked over and started to panic but was ready to spring into action. I just stood and watched as the adults went into crisis mode--everyone except my grandmother! I can still see her standing totally still in the corner of that elevator not saying a word but probably calling Mr. Davis every name in the book. Her eyes said it all! She looked very disgusted. Mr. Davis, on the other hand, was still grinning and calm as a cucumber. All I could think of later was what people standing outside must have thought seeing this flayling arm on the other side of the elevator door! To our surprise and relief the elevator still didn't move! And the doors eventually opened freeing Mr. Davis' arm. My mom, my aunt, and I laughed and laughed recalling the whole scene with words of relief and disbelief. All except for my grandmother!

I love you, Granny, wherever you are!