Longhouse School

It’s Sunday morning. Lori and I had decided to sleep in this morning. So we left for the track at 8:00 a.m. This is big: she ran her first mile without stopping to walk! She had forgotten to count her laps and if I didn’t stop her, she probably would still be running. Who, exactly, is this girl?

We then went to the pool and swam laps with some other clients. After that we walked back to our RVs. Mrs. Maracle was at her door. “You are not going to work today! All work and no play will burn you out. Let’s have a Girl’s Day. Go get washed and dressed. Meet us 9:00 a.m. sharp.

We hopped into her car and headed to the Mall which wasn’t open yet. But there was a nail salon around the corner. The three of us had mani-pedis. Lori was grinning from ear to ear. We went to a diner that was still pretty empty because the churches hadn’t let out yet. They had a breakfast buffet and we stuffed ourselves.

We could hardly move but we headed to the mall. “Do you have any Bills’ gear?” Lori asked me. I admitted that I didn’t. “The game is 1:00 p.m. How can you not have gear? Mom, we gotta buy Lolita a jersey at least!” Benita insisted that we go to the sports store and pick something out.

So they outfitted me with a jersey and hat. “Go try it on. It’s got to be loose fitting!” They approved how I look and Benita insisted on paying the bill. I told her that wasn’t necessary but she said it was for me babysitting Lori, “taking her off of their hands every morning for track, and making sure she got to school on time.” I relented.

So we got back to the rec room before kickoff at 1:00 p.m. I really had planned to work on “www.longhouseschool.blog” but they just held my hand and we watched the game from beginning to end. OFC, the Bills won. There was food for everyone.

We left for the RVs but Lori asked whether she could come to Oliver for a while. She had something very pressing and personal to ask me. “As long as it’s not about sex,” I said.

“What??? I know everything about that already. No, I wanted to ask you about your hair. I love your corncob braids. Do you think you could do my hair that way?”

I said only with her parents’ permission. She ran out and came back all excited, “Yes, they said yes!” and then Mrs. Maracle (I’m still not comfortable about calling her by her first name) came in. She asked whether it would be better to wash and dry Lori’s hair first.

So they washed her over the kitchen sink and blow dried it. We sat around the tiny table and started parting and braiding hair. During that time we just talked girl talk. The salon, the Bills, stories from the Maracle family, Montego Bay, and how I got my name. It took a good 90 minutes but I think she looks stunning!

“Now,” Lori said as they were leaving, “No favoritism! I am going to tell all my friends at school that you could do their hair the same way if they get permission from their parents!”

“Whaaat????”

But they ran out of Oliver before I could say another word. I heard Lori and Benita laughing outside!

Now, I thought, was a day like today, from beginning to end, Longhouse Education? I called up Kitten to ask her opinion. “Not only is it, it’s the epitome of Longhouse Education.“