Phoebe

It's Thanksgiving break (thank God), and I am home in Atlanta with my family. I walked in the door and was immediately greeted by my sister, Phoebe. She is eight years old going on seventeen and I am completely convinced that she is a miniature version of myself except for the following differences:

1. She is way cooler than I will ever be in dress and peer social status.
2. She is way smarter than I ever was at her age, and will probably end up way smarter than me as an adult.
3. She will probably go to an Ivy League School.

I was eating my home-cooked meal of mac and cheese with tomatoes in it (yum) and green beans when she sat down next to me at the table and began an academic discussion. The discussion began with her thoughts on the book Charlotte's Web which as many of you know is my most favoritest book in the whole wide world. Let me explain this to you with an example. When I filled out the Homecoming Queen Nominee Questionnaire, I answered the question What is your favorite book? not with The Bible but instead with "Charlotte's Web by E.B. White."

(Side note, Marlee Matlin is on Law and Order SVU...*swoon*)

Ok, so, we had a fifteen minute conversation about her gifted class and about Charlotte and Wilbur and art and "interesting discussions" about those subjects. I almost cried, my little sister is so so so smart and I am so proud of her. She has such enthusiasm for academics. Her face lit up just to be able to have an intellectual conversation with me. I really had to choke back the tears because I didn't want to ruin the discussion. The fact that we are so similar was then solidified when our conversation turned to the television program that we were viewing.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving was on. My brother asked if Peppermint Patty was a girl or a boy. I answered that she was a sporty girl. I was about to add my speculations about her sexual orientation when Phoebe said, "I'm pretty sure her real name is Sarah."

To which I replied, "Why do you think that?"

When she answered, "That's what Marcy calls her."

I laughed, and said, "Marcy calls her sir."

My brother said, "That's why I wasn't sure if she was a boy or a girl, duh."

Phoebe laughed and I was reminded of my issues with chronic lyricosis. I told her about this and my mom started laughing and talking about how we are the same person.

Chronic lyricosis: when you get the words to songs incorrect and sing them in front of other people who then correct you. This phenomenon has plagued me since I was three years old in the Christmas pageant singing the incorrect lyrics to Silent Night at the top of my lungs. "Round round versibly!" instead of "Round yon virgin." What three year old knows what a virgin is anyway?

Conclusions:

1. Charlotte's Web is the bestest book in the whole wide world that positively shapes bright young girls' minds and gives them an understanding about the world and its concepts, i.e. friendship, love, community, death and life.
2. She will probably attend Yale, Harvard or Princeton AND I'll get to wear a t-shirt that says, "My Sister Goes to Yale."
3. Chronic lyricosis is genetic.
4. My sister is fucking amazing, and I love her, a lot.