Sunday, August 26, 2007

JAMBA JUICE by (me!) sandra, ttgp

back story: sometime not too long ago, my son jack comes to me with great concern


"mommy, is my real name jackson? taryn said my real name on my birth certificate is jackson. is that true?!?"


i smile that mommy smile; tilt my head. consider several answers.


"why don't you go tell taryn what her real name is on her birth certificate," i suggest still smiling.


"what is her real name?" he asks as he slowly starts to catch on


"whatever you say it is, " i tell him. and he whispers a secret name in my ear. "that works," i tell him, "good one."


and i watch as he walks briskly over to his sister with this exciting counter-proclamation.


meanwhile, it needs mentioning here, that this entire exchange is taking place inside our local jamba juice store. we are with friends, meg, maggie, christopher.


and like starbucks, at jamba juice, they always ask for your name when you place your order.


and so it worked out just beautifully, that right about the same time taryn would come running to me with great concern about the official name on her birth certificate, that a young jamba juice employee would call her real name over the loud speaker


"strawberry whirl for apple pieces."


oh! the look on her face! -in front of so many people. high school kids. the public humiliation! she blinked bright red and scrunched her face in our direction. "yoooouuuuu..."


many giggles all around from me, jack, meg, maggie, christopher, and eventually apple pieces herself.



and with that, we arrive to today. and how i couldn't resist once again giving the name apple pieces when we placed our orders at the jamba juice counter.


taryn and jack both smiled. but the giggles this time came from watching the reaction of the kids behind the counter as they read the ticket.


i could hear them/but they could not see me.


cute young girl to cute young boy: "does this say apple pieces?"


cute young boy: "ya"


cute young girl: "are you serious?"


cute young boy: "ya. i don't ask questions i just type in the name they give me."


cute young girl: "i am not saying apple pieces out loud."


cute young boy: "oh, come on. have some fun!"


and the girl was smiling and blushing, shaking her head. the boy was encouraging her, smiling, but avoiding direct eye contact.


our drinks came up.


cute young girl calls out, "two carribean passions and one razzamatazz"


i call back from behind the line, "for who?"


she won't answer, just looks at me.


"for who?" i say with a smile


"are these for you.. two caribbean passions, one razzamatazz?" she asks


"oh.. it's just a sibling rivalry thing.. having some fun" i reassure her


she looked at me, taryn, jack, scooted the drinks our way


"enjoy your weekend apple pieces." she smiled.


and we were off again.. for school supplies.