Day 7 ~ My Cousin Sandi

My earliest memory of a best friend is my cousin Sandi. She is the daughter of my Ninny Jackson's first son, Billy. She was my first playmate. I remember going to the fair together and riding those metallic shiny motorcycles there. She and I played in my Ninny Jackson's "blue room" for hours on end. Ninny had an old wicker picnic basket in there full of baby dolly clothes. We would dress up those dolls for hours.


Sandi and I both had this fear of this one doll...the one that was a puppet and his mouth moved. *shiver* It was horrible. Still to this day I hate to go to the blue room on my own without Ninny Jackson.


We would stay up late scaring one another with our worst fears concerning certain dolls that resided in my grandmother's house. Sandi will even tell you about the Barbie doll dream she once had. If I remember right they were floating in the air and blocking the door way. I was so little when she had this dream and told it to me. Couldn't sleep at Ninny's for anything in the world. I would stay under the blankets, HOT AS COULD BE and unable to breathe, but I was safe from those dolls. HA HA


Sandi was the crazy one out of us both. I was always more concerned with what others thought or what my mama would do. Hey, my mama would get me! I really remember that free spirit of Sandi's. The boys loved her and she had a way of holding them captive. I was so jealous of this as a young woman. She was so beautiful to me and I felt so blah around her. But, she was so quick to always tell me how pretty I was and she would fix my hair and makeup. I loved that.


Sandi was the silliest girl. One time she had this blue towel that she folded and attached with a pin she found. She fastened it as a mini skirt and went out to show my grandmother. I think she must have thought it looked good from her angle. I just agreed. I always agreed with her. She was my big cousin! ;) Ninny told her to go ahead and wear that. Oh, it was funny.


Sandi was the darling of my Ninny Jackson and PawPaw Jackson. They had her all the time and Sandi was the daughter my Ninny never had. I used to be jealous of this. I know Sandi needed Ninny in that way more than I did. I am so glad she had my Ninny as well.


My cousin is a loud laugher, full of jokes, and ready for a new adventure. Life was never dull during those lazy summer days spent at Ninny's house together. You never realize what something is until it is over. We were so close and never saw the end coming.


We helped in the kitchen, sewed doll clothes, fed chickens, helped with house chores, worked in the garden, ran down Hogan road with bikes, splashed in the deep part of the road when it would flood with water, fished out crawfish from those same floods, sang songs from New Kids on the Block, giggled over boys, and passed the days in friendship and laughter.


I told her my most kept secrets. I adored her because she was bigger. I can picture those two little girls in my mind. I know we had to be so cute with our long knobby kneed legs in shorts, long brown hair we grew in "hair races", and tank tops. Just walking around that yard. Using azalea leaves for money in our pretend stores. Swinging on the swing in the front with cans of coke.


Instead of hair races we seem to be racing with children now. We were just even, dangit all! She is pg with number four now.


I love you sweet cousin. I know we are different in so many ways...but we have that childhood in common. I am so glad you were one of my first loves. Sharing a girlhood together was marvelous. I so enjoyed it. I would cry when you went back to Miami at the end of the summer. My whole heart would break and the world would become gloomy until the sun started to shine and school was out once more. The summers seemed so long at the start...but how quickly those days were ate up with our play. I love you.