Florida II--Phone Calls

I think we missed the three phone calls from Ben on Wednesday because we were flying. So as soon as possible I called him back. Jenny had a stuck pigtail holder in her hair and he didn't know what to do, so that's why he had tried to call me. But I didn't answer, so finally he just cut it out. Is that ok? Yes, that's ok, I said. And Ben said slowly,

Quote of the Day:
"I am not an expert at stuck pigtail holders."
(Somehow that guy reminds me more of his late Grandpa Smucker all the time.)

-*-~-*-~-*

So there I was, sitting almost halfway forward in an evening service at a very packed Palm Grove Mennonite Church, toward the end of an intense sermon, and my phone rang. Thankfully I had it on 'vibrate.' I pulled it out of my purse and checked who was calling. "Home."

Now there is something about getting a call from home when you're clear across the country that coughs up visions in your mind of broken legs and vomiting children and dogs hit by cars and maybe even kidnappings. So I prepared to quickly exit.

However. The benches at Palm Grove have about as much legroom as coach seats on an airplane. To my right were six adults. To my left were two, and the one closest to me was Ludlow Walker, a large black guy from south Florida who had only an inch or two to spare in front of his knees.

I'd have to wait. The phone quieted but then a few minutes later it buzzed again. Surely a car accident, or maybe the house was on fire. What should I do? It would cause a huge commotion to get up and worm my way out.

Then Paul's phone buzzed as well. God have mercy, what was going on at home? Thankfully the preacher was winding down at this point, and as soon as he was done, I ducked through the crowd and went outside and called home. Ben answered:

Another Quote of the Day:
"Hey Mom, when you're making spaghetti, do you let the water boil before you put the spaghetti in?"