Jean Arabelle

"Don't watch the microwave cook the popcorn, it will burn your eyes."

I found myself saying this to my 3 year old.  Most people say daughters will turn into their mother.  I'm finding that I'm turning into my grandmother, Jean Arabelle. 

She was the queen of cautionary tales and clichés.  I spent 2 years of my life living in her house and 15 years living next door to her.  She warned me about how watching the microwave will give me cancer; how standing too close to the TV would make me go blind.

 As I got older, the advice continued.  One summer when I was in high school, I was assigned the job of cutting the lawn with the riding tractor.  Being the 17 year old that I was, and wanting to make sure I got a full tan, I went out in shorts, tank top and flip flops.  Over the blasting of *NSync from my Walkman that I taped off of the radio, I heard the voice of my grandmother yelling from the dirt road, 

"Stephanie Lynn, put on some clothes and get real shoes on!  You are going to cut your arm and foot off!"  I had no choice but to get off and find myself some proper riding mower attire.  

When I thought the lectures were over in my 20's, all it took was one trip home during my first year of teaching to remind me that you are never too old for Gram's advice.  She was obsessed with Court TV, specifically Nancy Grace.  This just so happened to be the era of stories coming out about teachers, teachers of the Mary Kay Letourneau type.  We were sitting in the living room awkwardly watching discussions of grown women "making love" to a 12 year old boy when my grandma looked me straight in the eye and said, "Stephanie Lynn, you better not be sleeping with any of your students."  I politely reminded her that I teach second graders.  She simply said, "Well, just don't do anything stupid." 

She has since passed on but she lives through me every day when I remind my 3 year old son to back away 3 steps from the television, because of course, like any loving mother, I don't want him to go blind.  

#LRWP2018

Reviews

[Saddi Moix]

Your writing has voice. Our parents and grandparents are always willing to give us advice. I connected to your story. My mom was always giving our her opinions. I wanted to hear more about her cautionary tales. You might improve your writing by making it longer, but I loved your descriptions of your grandmother.
#lrwp2018