By Lorry Myers
I heard the door shut and the click of heels crossing the kitchen floor. My city living daughter was home for the weekend, which meant my bathroom would be filled with hair products and wet towels over the shower door.
I am used to that.
My oldest daughter, Hilary, is a career minded girl who worked a job that took her all over the world. When she came home to her hometown, she liked to put on her sweats, look through my cabinets, and sleep as late as she wanted.
In other words, she was home.
When the news was over and it was time for bed, Hilary said her goodnights but was immediately back in the living room looking around like she was on the verge of panic.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, taking in her pale face.
“Did I bring in my suitcase?” Hilary asked, with a hint of doom in her voice.
I thought back and remembered her heels clicking on the tile, but not the familiar sound of her suitcase rolling along behind her. Hilary made a frantic dash outside and then slowly walked back in, her face gray and her eyes wide.
“I forgot my suitcase,” she wailed. “I took it out to the garage when I was leaving then I got distracted, drove off and left it behind. I can’t believe I did that!”
Me either!
My daughter, the professional traveler, is a careful planner and efficient packer; leaving behind her carefully planned and efficiently packed suitcase was not what she planned or packed for. Hilary typically has carefully coordinated outfits for every situation and this weekend we had places to go and people to see.
Now, Hilary had nothing to wear.
Not only that, but my daughter also pointed out that she had no toothbrush or hair products or anything for her contacts. Hilary didn’t have sleep clothes or party clothes or even underclothes.
What’s a girl to do?
When I told my freaked-out daughter that I had clothes she could borrow, hair stuff she could use, and a new toothbrush in the guest bathroom, that seemed to calm her down.
For the complete column, see this week’s edition of the Centralia Fireside Guard.