Siblings are the personification of every exasperating paradox. Best friends, bitter foes. As children, we played make-believe, creating genuine bonds that connect us for the rest of our lives. As the older sibling, I didn’t want my little sister tagging along after me all the time. Now, I wish that we could spend more time together. When my sister was a little diva, whose head reached my shoulder, she used to boss me around. Now, she’s three inches taller than me and…well, not everything changes.
About two weeks ago, she took her driver’s test. She failed. To be fair, her proctor was unusually bad-tempered and harsh, faulting her for waiting too long at a four-way stop.
Heart-wrenching, blah, blah, blah.
I originally wrote that last sentence to mark where I was going to build an exaggerated story of our house being covered by dark rain clouds and such, but I think I’ll just keep it as it is. Mackenzie was devastated. Life went on. Heart-wrenching, blah, blah, blah.
A couple weeks later, she took it again. It was also my first day of college classes. As I was getting ready, Mom sent me second-to-second play-by-plays via agonized text messages.
Her ominous opening: “We r at the DMV now.”
Call me Ishmael. It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. We r at the DMV now.
Building up the suspense: “Since I won’t remember to tell u later, Miss Bonnie said Phillip had the same proctor as Mackenzie. He failed too! He said the same thing she did. Very mean and rude!”
The challenges that plague any hero of noble heart: “This is the longest we’ve ever had to sit.”
The moment when all of our hopes and dreams of the past 16 years seemed to speed away faster than my sister in a 40-zone: “Oh no! The mean lady is here now and Kenzie is next!!!!!!”
Five suspense-filled minutes later: “Oh no! She got another mean one!”
(Are you feeling the desperation? My first day of college certainly paled in comparison.)
And, finally, the moment of glory. Jubilant with the victory over all of the mean, clipboard-wielding ladies that the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles could find to challenge my stalwart sister, Mom proclaimed (surprisingly, with only one exclamation mark): “SHE PASSED!”
When someone gets their license, people usually joke about staying clear of the roads. But I won’t do that. Because I trust my little sister.
And I don’t have a car.
And I live about 15 hours away.
So, really, I’m not joking.
I love you, Little Sister!
A Floating Shift 