Back to the Prairie: The Youngest Adult I Knew

 

   She is my mother's sister; my aunt. Different from me in every way, I found her to be a mystery. In the days when I stayed on the farm she was the youngest adult I knew. She stayed out late and slept till noon and ate red pistachios. She had every color of makeup available and wore it every day..no matter what. She dressed and lived unlike any of us...I was intrigued.
   Her room held mysteries that were all her own; a record collection full of bright colors and strange people. We would listen to them when no one else was around. A library of paperback romance novels stood in stacks as high as I stood...she loved to read. The dresser was a whole other story.
   Shiny beads of every color draped the large mirror; scarves also hung in bright airy delight. Make up and jewelry with colorful bottles of perfume stood on mirrored trays. On each side of that dresser stood the tall curvy 'pop bottles' filled with coins...I loved to stare at them and imagine how someone had done that; it was cool.
   Often I slid open the closet doors to gaze at her clothes...she had a lot. Bell bottom jeans, boots and shoes with super high heals...stacks of records and books and the box full of nail polish. Sometimes she painted my nails...bold colors..drove my grandmother nuts! Great place to sit and daydream...though it was hard to imagine myself in her clothes...she was tall and thing with dark wavy hair that just seemed to fall into place..needless to say..I was nothing like that.
   She and I did things together 'off the farm'; a movie or a day at the city pool--she wore a two piece; wow. Our favorite get away was the A&W drive in. Orange slush or root beer floats..burgers on real buns and onion rings. We would eat in the car (grandma would have a fit!) or at the picnic tables at the park..it was so much fun.
   We would sit in the basement and play games or look at old toys sometimes...she wasn't afraid of the dark, creepy corners...and thought I was funny. It seems I never really figured her out; she wasn't like the rest of us..she did things a different way....she was the youngest adult I knew...