"Placeback"

I'm working on my AYM layout and I've chosen "Placeback" for my "P." I know it's a little ahead of the game, but I just had to share this story:

Isn’t calling “placeback” a universal rule? Growing up in such a large family, it was not only a rule, but a necessity. If you didn’t remember to call “placeback,” you lost your spot on the couch or in the bathroom line. We only had one couch and one bathroom for 9 people. If you forgot to call “placeback,” the only spot left was the floor.

Whether you actually called “placeback” or not, always caused a fight. You had to get some of the other kids to back you up when someone stole your spot. And, it didn’t really matter where you were---you needed to call “placeback” everywhere---in the car at the drive-in, in the tree house, at the ball field---just any where that you wanted to be sure to get your same spot back. I think we kids stole each other’s spots for pure meanness!

When I was a teenager, I called “placeback” when I got up to go to the bathroom. When I got back, Janice had taken my spot on the couch. I said, “get up, I called placeback.” She said, “you didn’t call placeback.” Jennifer backed her up---the twins lied for each other all the time. That’s when the fighting started. I yanked Janice off the couch. We started punching and wrestling around. Mom walked in the front door. She still had her purse on one arm and sunglasses in the other hand. About that time, Janice shoved me onto the living room chair---which broke! Mom started hitting Janice and broke her sunglasses. Mom was livid! Aha! For once, Janice got in more trouble than me. And, by the way, I distinctly remember calling “placeback.”

This is what I was up against. Janice played professional softball in the '70's. Growing up, I never really liked her much.

Here we are today and I love her to death! I guess age and distance did that---or maybe it's the alcohol!

I'm so looking forward to our sister's weekend in a couple of weeks. I got the best news yesterday---Jennifer is coming too! That means all 7 of us will be together at the same time! Yahoo!