Monday Memories – Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

P.D. Eastman’s book “The Best Nest” was given to us as a baby shower gift. The kids could “read” it before they knew the alphabet. They even mimicked my tone. But one of the kids was not convinced our nest was best.

I remember the day she ran away. Cali wasn’t mad. She wasn’t even upset. She was just determined to find a better place to live. Aunt Lynn’s house seemed to be the answer.

My sister Lynn and her family lived about 150 yards away from us – past the loading ramp, the shop, and across the pasture and two cattle guards. Cali had been over playing with her cousins at Aunt Lynn’s house when she came home and made the announcement, “I’m running away. I’m going to live with Aunt Lynn now.” She was quite matter-of-fact about the whole experience. She generously offered, “You can be my aunt now, or my grandma. Whichever you want.”

I watched her pack her things. I explained that anything she left behind would no longer be considered hers, and may have even suggested she would need to pull the wagon. She seemed convinced that a few things would be all she’d need because Aunt Lynn had lots of everything. She packed her clothes in the striped diaper bag and that was it.

I watched her walk out the door. I went to the bedroom window and watched her little four year old frame walk past the tractors, plows, and water troughs. I called Lynn, 655-4280, and said, “Humor me. Cali wants to run away and come live with you. Please make it miserable for her.”

I waited all day for her to come home. I had plenty to keep me busy with the two little boys, Abe and Ty, but I was dejected and wanted her home. It was one long, sad day. Night came. Still no Cali. Lynn called once or twice during the day to give a report and say what stinky jobs she’d given her to do, but said Cali was happy and it didn’t look like she’d be returning anytime soon.

I wondered if my rationale for letting experience teach Cali the lesson would backfire on me. I wondered if Cali would think that whenever something else looked more enticing she could jump ship. I wondered if it would take two hours, two days, or two weeks for her to come back home. I wondered how to explain to Calvin that he was now Cali’s grandpa instead of her father.

Nearly twenty four hours later Lynn called and said Cali was on her way. I met her at the door as if she were one of the neighbor girls. I explained that if she came back home to live there would be no more running away, ever. Home was where she’d live; home is where she’d stay. Cali said that was her plan, and then put her things away and played with her brothers as if she’d never left.

A few years later Abe said he thought he might run away. Cali said, “Not me. I tried it once. It’s not worth it. Don’t do it Abe.” Abe took her word for it and stayed put. If Ty and Ande considered it, we never heard about it.

Interestingly, Cali lived at home the longest of all the kids.