Manic Monday

“Sybil! Sybil!” no answer, “Sybil! Sybil!” George tried again running out of the master bedroom looking for his wife. She was nowhere to be seen. “Have you seen Sybil, sorry your mother?” George asked Rosa as she was heading outside with her bowl of oatmeal.

“I’m not my brother’s keeper,” she replied closing the sliding door behind her with a pronounced bang. “Mummy,” she continued sitting down in her father’s lounge chair, “mummy, daddy is looking for you.”

“I know,” replied Sybil sighing, “it’s the same thing every Monday. Your father is getting old and keeps forgetting where he puts things.”

Rosa slid back on the lounge chair not answering her. She closed her eyes for second and turned her face towards the sun. “It’s cold up north you know mummy. I think you and daddy made the right decision to move down here.”

It suddenly dawned on Sybil for the first time that her second youngest daughter was beginning to sound more grown up than before. She sat up slightly and looked at her. Rosa didn’t notice her mother and kept eating her oatmeal. “What was that you said young lady?”

Rosa turned to look at her mother, “about what mummy? I’ve said quite a few things this morning.”

Sybil gulped as she jumped off her lounge chair and headed indoors. “George!” she shouted, “George, I have to talk to you.”

“Oh there you are, Sybil. Have you seen my favourite tie?”

“Which one?” asked Sybil trying not to forget the reason she came inside looking for her husband.

“I only have one favourite tie,” insisted George. He looked at Sybil, “the one Rosa gave me,” he added, “the one with a pretty flamingo on it.”

“Oh, that one,” replied Sybil, “you gave that away to Timmy.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Don’t you remember, darling,” she said, “Timmy needed a tie to wear when he went with Max and his family to a German function. He asked you for a tie and you told him to take that one.”

George gulped. “You’re right! Why did I do that?” Sybil shrugged her shoulders. “Timmy!” he shouted.

“He’s gone to school already,” Julia said from inside the kitchen, “and I’m about to join him. Howdy dad.” George cringed.

“Can you do me a favour please? Can you go into Timmy’s room and see if you can find my favourite tie.”

“The one with the Flamingo on it?” she asked.

“Yes, that one.”

“He don’t have it no more,” she replied and Sybil nearly screamed her objection to Julia using such awful grammar.

“What did he do with it?”

“He gave it back to you daddy. It’s got to be in your room.”

George huffed running back into the bedroom and a second later came out with the tie. “Where was it?” asked Sybil.

“In my closet,” he replied, “I guess I didn’t see it on the back of the door.” He began to put the tie on and then stopped. “Sorry Sybil, you came in to talk to me for a reason. I’m in a rush though. I have a meeting with the planning committee of North Topsail Beach.”

“Have you noticed,” she began before being interrupted by Julia who was on her way out of the nest with her book bag.

“Ba,” she shouted and her parents shivered.

“Love ya!” shouted George and then turned towards Sybil.

“Love ya!” she repeated.

“Well,” said George, “if you can’t beat them, you should join them.”

“No way, Jose,” replied Sybil taking a deep breath and beginning to walk out towards the deck. She suddenly realised why she had come indoors in the first place. She stopped. “Have you noticed that Rosa is growing up very fast?

Oh yes, George had noticed and he looked a little teary eyed. “Yes, Sybil dear, I have noticed that she has started using big words and even behaves like a teenager.”

“Can we stop her?” asked Sybil.

“How?” replied George, “everyone has to grow up sooner or later.”

The sliding glass door opened. It was Rosa. “Hello parents,” she said walking into the kitchen with her empty bowl. Both George and Sybil looked at each other.

“Young lady,” said George, “can I talk to you for a second?”

“Yes, of course, daddy.” A second later she appeared in the doorway, “what can I help you with?”

“You sound so old, young lady. It was only yesterday that you sounded like a ten year old and now you sound like a teenager.”

“Well daddy. I’m nearly a grown woman with all the likes and dislikes of a grown woman.” George smiled. There was something hidden in that last sentence that reassured him that his little girl was putting on an act for whatever reason.

“I see,” George said and then added, “are you on your way to school?”

“In a couple of minutes. I first have to spend a few minutes with my dolls and give them instructions of what I expect from them today,” and she turned towards her parents, “you know its Manic Monday, don’t you daddy?”

“What’s Manic Monday?” he asked.

“Well,” she replied, “that’s the day after Sunday, which is my fun day.”

“I see. Who told you that?”

“Daddy, it’s a very famous song from your time, or at least that’s what Elizabeth told me.” And with that she disappeared into her room. George and Sybil were floored. They weren’t sure what to do, so they remained there waiting for Rosa to come out of her room, which she did a couple of minutes later carrying her book bag.

“How are your dolls?” asked George.

“They tried to rebel, but I put that down.” No George wasn’t going there.

“Do they talk to you?” asked Sybil not sure what response Rosa would come up with. “Obviously, mummy. Otherwise, how can I tell them what I expect from them?” and with that she blew both her parents a kiss and flew out of the window.

“I wish she would use the front door like everyone else,” Sybil sounded depressed.

“Mama!” she heard Brenda call her and her demeanour changed.

“Oh well, a mother’s job is never done,” and with that she opened the nursery door.

“Manic Monday, hmm.” said George. “I have to listen to that song on the way to work.”

He walked into the nursery where Brenda was busy jumping up and down in her cot, while Wicket the cricket held onto the side of the bed afraid that any minute he was going to be catapulted out of the window and land near Melody or even worse, near a seagull.

“Daddy!” shouted Brenda and he walked up to her and gave her a kiss before kissing Sybil goodbye.

“Manic Monday!” laughed Sybil. “I think that’s a wonderful way to describe this morning.”

“Or any other morning in this nest,” added George. “Now on to the planning committee, that should be fun.”

“Good luck!” Sybil shouted.

“Daddy gone?” asked Brenda.

“Obviously,” replied Sybil pulling Brenda out of the cot and carrying her onto the deck. Wicket the cricket followed close behind. “Go away bug,” she said to him and Wicket drooped his head and walked back into Brenda’s room. He was afraid to go out onto the deck because he knew that if Sybil had the chance she would step on him.