They're Growing Up

OK, guys, we have read for an hour and we have three hours left. That means I can play with each of you for an hour-Abby then Timmy then Emma - alright? ....Mrs. Challies, Abby and I will play together. We are going to share our game...Alright, Emma. What are we going to play? We will play American Girl. I am Mrs. Cole. My children are Elizabeth, who is ten, Annabelle - a very prissy girl - who is sixteen, David, and Bitty Baby, who is four...Alright, what about you, Abby? I am Mrs. Merriman. My daughter is Felicity and she is nine.... OK, and who am I?...Your name is Mrs. Potter. You are our friend....Am I old?...No, you are just the age you are now (!!!)...Alright....Knock, knock, knock. Oh, hello, Mrs. Cole. Do come in and have some tea. How are your hens doing this year? What about your corn? Is it growing well?...Oh, Mrs. Potter, I am so worried about Elizabeth. She just doesn't seem well...I am so sorry! What seems to be wrong? Is she ill?...It is bad, Mrs. Potter. I think she is doing doggy germs...What?...I think Elizabeth might be doing doggy germs...What?...Oh, you don't know what doggy germs are. You know when people kiss before they are married? Well, they shouldn't, should they?...It would be good if they didn't...Well, Mama and Daddy say they are doing doggy germs when they kiss- you know, like this...(Demonstration by Abby and Emma)...Elizabeth is engaged to Joseph, but he is a good boy. I don't think he would do doggy germs...Well, who would it be? ...Well, you know how some boys make girls do doggy germs? I think it might be Bonnie Prince Charlie. (I know he didn't really live in America in the 1700's, but we just pretend he did)...Well, from what I know about Bonnie Prince Charlie, he could have done doggy germs with Elizabeth. I am so sorry, Mrs. Cole. Do let me know how things turn out...

Greg

Laura's first boyfriend was named Greg. He was tall and thin with curly, blondish hair - a nice guy, well-liked by all our family. He was very kind about including little sisters in their plans - probably to Laura's great chagrin! My clearest memory of Greg was the time he took Laura and I to the garbage dump! Why? So he could teach us to shoot Americans when they decided to invade Canada! We practiced on rats - there was an abundant supply...The only time I have ever even touched a gun! ...To his great heartbreak, Laura broke up with Greg after we moved north and she was on her own in Montreal. He was intending to go into the RCMP, which he indeed did, I believe, and very successfully. At that point he told her he would arrest even Laura if he ever caught her with drugs - a parting salvo, probably well-meant....I next had contact with him just several years ago when an email arrived in my inbox from Greg. He had obtained my address from a high school web site I occasionally visited. He, of course, wanted Laura's contact information, saying what fond memories he had of her...I gave him her telephone number after warning him off from trying to reconnect in any meaningful way. Old romances hold such power...He phoned and I believe they still chat once in awhile but he has been true to his word and has not seen her. I wonder if he would still be true to his word as to her arrest, if drugs were her lifestyle? Guess I will never know!