Eenie Meenie Minie Mo

"Eenie Meenie Minie Mo",

by H. M. Verdon

Copyright 2012 H. M. Verdon

All Rights Reserved

Personally, I didn’t see what was so wrong about California. Apparently my mom did, though, and me being still legally not an adult, had to accompany her to Tennessee. Of all the states in the U. S to go, she had to move to a place where people would most likely hate me and my non-accent.

“Oh, no one’s going to hate you,” my mom had said continuously.

No one would hate her because she was still an adult. I, on the other hand, would be treated as a leper; I just knew it.

Mom thought I was being melodramatic. Maybe I was. But it was my right to be pissed about leaving my friends and everyone I knew.

“You can make new friends,” my mom kept assuring. “It’ll be an adventure.”

It’d be an adventure for her. My mom was an only child. She was thirty-four and still as gorgeous as ever; what with her long curly chocolate hair and bright brown eyes. She had the butt of a twelve year old boy. What was worse? She ate superly unhealthy and she was still skinny! She hardly needed to jog with me, but she did anyway.

I would love to tell you that everyone told me I looked like my mom all my life. But they didn’t. I didn’t look anything like her. My hair was carrot orange and boringly straight and long; no bangs. I had blue eyes and a completely circular face (and baby cheeks to boot). No, I took after my father. Mom knew this. It was nothing short of miracle she didn’t hate me for it.

On the contrary, my mom and I were very close. We were more like best friends than mother and daughter; with the occasional “I am your mother” speech when I occasionally acted out. I didn’t act out much, not even when I learned we were moving. I didn’t hate her for it. I understood her reasons for leaving. In all honesty, I wanted to get away for a little while, too. I just didn’t see why we had to move as far away as Tennessee. I hadn’t ever even been to Tennessee before!

We made the most of it on our road trip, though. Stayed at only awesome hotels—by “awesome” I mean not roach infested—and made ourselves forget all our worries. Under the circumstances, we had fun.

And then we actually got to Tennessee; a small town called Lewisburg. It was…certainly small. The best clothing stores they had so far was a Wal-Mart, Goodies, and a place called Cato that I had never heard of before. Oh, and don’t forget the Goodwill—actually, I rather loved Goodwills, being a vintage loving girl.

Mom had this grin on her face. “Isn’t this great?”

I looked out my window skeptically. “It’s….something.”

“You’ll get used to it.”

“Whatever you say.”

She pulled into a Shell station. “Can you fill her up while I go in and get us some munchies?”

I nodded, unbuckling my seatbelt. “Sure.”

“What do you want?”

“A mocha coffee and some peanut butter filled crackers.”

Mom smiled, parking by a tank. “Oki-day. Be right back.”

I got out of the car and started filling it up. I watched other people, begging to blend in. It was hard to gauge, though, when everyone filling up their cars were older; like forty and up kinda old. I didn’t think I stood out too badly…maybe. I mean, I was wearing normal shorts, and a cute blouse and some gladiator sandals. Not weird…right?