My niece turned 18 on Monday. Holy Shit....where did the time go?!?!
I was out of town and couldn't spend time with her that day so we made a date for Wednesday evening.
I think your 18th birthday is important. It's special. So I try to make a big deal of it.
So I told her I made reservations at the best 5 star resturant in South Bend. I also explained that means you need to dress up a bit. I told her what time the reservations were for and that I'd pick her up at 5:45. She seemed very excited.
I then went shopping. My nieces love nice jewlery. I do too, but I don't have much as I can't afford it. I do have 2 rings that they both love. A loves my sapphire. Everytime we get together she asks if she can have it when I die. I figure, since I'll be spending more time in town, I didn't want her to be wishing for my death so she could get her hands on that ring.
So I bought her one of her own. It's 10x nicer than mine. In fact - I almost kept it and gave her something else. :-)
Everything is set.
At 3:30 that day she calls and says she'll meet me there and ask for directions. I google them (hey - haven't lived here in over 15 years) and make sure she understands the reservations are for 6:00. SHARP.
She was 30 mins. late.
She was wearing very very tight jeans and a crop top.
I was not smiling.
They seat us in the back of the resturant and it went down hill from there.
The meal, well - mine anyway, rocked. She liked mine too and ate half of it.
She liked the ring, but really wanted a cell phone or a diamond.
I told her too bad.
We talked about school and getting a job. She's not much of a conversationalist and getting her to just chat was impossible - yes, even for ME.
So....after dinner she does thank me for everything and tell me she loves me. I'm proccupied and a little disappointed. I'm driving home, stop at a red light, look down for my cigarettes and WHAM....coast into the back of the car in front of me.
Just what I flippin' needed. Luckily most of the damange was to maggie. And the guy was very cool about it. Said it didn't matter. No need for insurance - it's no big deal. THANK GOODNESS!
I couldn't get home fast enough. Went to bed (had to be up by 4:00am) and finally fell asleep at 3:00.
Not the way I wanted the evening to go. Damn. Just Damn. What's with kids today!?!?!?!
Posted by Tammi at April 22, 2005 08:59 AMIf I ever give someone a gift and they bad-mouth it by telling me they'd rather have something else, I'd grab that thing so fast their head would spin. Before their head stopped spinning, I'd tell them to go buy their own damn gift. That's not just rude, it's plain wrong.
Posted by: Ogre at April 22, 2005 09:32 AMSounds like she needs an aunt to teach her a few things about the game of life before she has to hit the old "real world."
Posted by: Dash at April 22, 2005 09:45 AM{hug}
{appletini}
{chocolate}
Hey sounds like she would fair well with my family, wanna trade me for her? I am game if she is.
Posted by: ArmyWifeToddlerMom at April 22, 2005 11:04 AMHey sounds like she would fair well with my family, wanna trade me for her? I am game if she is.
Posted by: ArmyWifeToddlerMom at April 22, 2005 11:04 AMYup. When she showed up thirty minutes late, I'd have just KEPT that ring for myself. The dinner was enough of a present.
Posted by: Pammy at April 22, 2005 11:09 AMI already told Tammi how I would've handled it... I would've said - let me see the ring. At which point I would've slipped it on my finger and said "gee thanks I wanted to keep it anyway".
About the first thing I ever taught my kids was how to accept a present. I knew my mom would be giving them weird stuff over the years (like pajamas and socks). My rule was - you MUST thank the person very nicely for what you received. They must never know that you think it's the dumbest thing ever to come out of a box. You will NEVER EVER complain that you wanted something else... And when you get home - you can throw out whatever you don't want to keep!
It's called being polite - it's called being nice - Tammi's niece needs a smack upside the head - but it's probably too late for that. *sigh* Yet another totally rude adult let loose on the world.... I know she tried to redeem herself at the end there - but geeze!
Posted by: Teresa at April 22, 2005 11:50 AMSorry to hear about Maggie.
And, I promise, if you ever give me a sapphire, I'll just say "thank-you" (and buy you an appletini). :)
Posted by: TNT at April 22, 2005 04:45 PMWhen she walked in late in jeans and a crop top, I would have walked her out and explained to her EXACTLY what she was missing by behaving like a boob. Including the fact that her disrespect for me and the trouble that I went to just cost her a nice present....
Sorry to hear about the car. Hope everything is ok.
Posted by: caltechgirl at April 22, 2005 05:24 PMWell, we all know you are WAY too nice! My parents gave me a $500 ruby and diamond bracelet for my 18th birthday, and it is a prized possesion to me til this day!!
Sounds like you can teach her some stuff, not that it's your job.
That sucks about the mini accident. I know that sucks being the one to hit someone else and just feeling ..... honestly....I felt quite stupid...at least for a moment. But I am glad he was cool about it, but not a good way to start off your new journey. And I know how you are with signs....don't count this one!
Posted by: Sissy at April 22, 2005 08:16 PMmumbel mumble frickin parents messed up on this one mutter mutter just watch a certain relative of mine raise their kid the same way grumble...
Posted by: Chap at April 24, 2005 01:33 AMUgh. One day she's going to cringe and say "How did you put up with me!?!?" and you'll smile, like the good aunt that you are, and say, "I have no idea..."
Posted by: Pam at April 24, 2005 04:13 PM