If You Were A Grown-up

A small memory.

"If you were a grown-up, and I were a little girl, what would you do?"  I looked at my grandmother and thought about what she had asked me.  I looked at the floor.  I glanced at my favorite teddy bear and got no answer.  I imagined myself being a grown-up.

"I would ask you if you knew better than to tell a lie about something you had done?"

Grandmother held both my hands as I faced her.  There was no escape.  "I did not do it.  I am not telling a lie."  A tear escaped down my cheek as my eyes prepared for more to follow.  My lip was catching the salty tears as they came streaming down.

Grandmother and mommy had spent an entire weekend painting the dinning room.  There was a mark on the wall that looked like someone had struck a match on the wall.  This is one time the truth would not solve my problem.  I had seen my sister's doll pick up a matchstick that had fallen out of the box when Grandmother had refilled the box.  The doll's hand had pushed it because she was being carried upside down.  My sister had seen Grandmother strike the match to light the gas stove before she blew the flame out.  My sister had picked up the match and gone into the dining room, struck the match on the wall.  Then she blew the match out.  The strike mark on the wall was all that remained of the event.  My sister had thrown the match into the trash along with all the other match sticks.  I told the truth, I did not strike the match.  But if I told them my sister had done it, they would spank her.  That was something I could not bare.

My sister and I had been sitting listening to the dangers of lighting a match.  The horrible possibilities of what could happen if we played with matches.  My sister had not said a word.  Finally, Grandmother had asked me that question.

"If you do not believe me will I get a spanking for the match or for telling a lie?"  I wanted to make sure to keep the record straight just in case someone was keeping score.

"You will get two spankings.  One for telling a lie and two for striking a match.  You need to go pick out the switch.  I will wait here."  Grandmother let go of my hands and folded hers on her lap.  She watched as I went out the back door to locate a switch.   My sister had remained quite.  She gave Grandmother a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  I was prepared to take the punishment for my sister.  However, I was a bit miffed that I was being punished for telling a lie when I had not.  I thought again about her question.  I had to come up with something to say to convince her a switch was not necessary.

When I came back into the room Grandmother motioned for me to go into the bathroom.  My sister watched in silence as the door closed behind us.  "Okay, baby, now holler like I am beating you to death."  Grandmother whispered as she started swatting the sink.  I looked at her like she was crazy then realized I was not going to get a spanking.  She really gave the sink a good switching.  I should have gotten an Oscar for my performance.  The banging at the door and crying we heard signaled that the time was up.  My sister came running into the room.  Please don't hurt her any more.  She had brought her ragged doll named Nancy.  "Nancy made mark.  Nancy made mark."  She kept saying it over and over.  She took the switch from Grandmother's hand and gave Nancy a couple of swatches across her backside.  Grandmother and I were both surprised.

"Grandmother, she is right.  I saw her carrying Nancy into the room when the match caught in her hand.  Nancy struck the match."  I had forgotten the event as it unfolded.

I rescued Nancy from her punishment.  I figured my sister had suffered enough because of the trauma of hearing me get spanked.  "Grandmother, if I were a grown-up, I would ask everyone if they had learned a lesson.  Then I would have everyone line up for hugs and kisses.  I folded my arms across my chest.  I stuck out my chin and my lower lip.  I looked up at Grandmother.  My sister and I were still holding our breath.

Grandmother threw her arms open wide so she could hug and kiss us all at once.  My sister did make Nancy sit facing the corner for almost two days.

Hugs and kisses were followed by cookies and milk.  I am glad if I were a grown-up, I would be just like Grandmother.