Timeline: Saturday morning . . . early.
The girls and Mom are sitting in the mini-van which is parked a half-block away from the yard sale. Dad is at the yard sale. He is wearing an old coat, a New York Mets baseball cap, dark sunglasses, and . . . a mustache.
Mom: That rubber cement holds pretty good.
Ashley: Poor
Barbie. Tammy: Well, she gave her hair for a good reason at least.
Ashley: Yeah.
Erin: I guess she has a bob now. Is that what they call it mom . . . a bob?
Mom: Yepper.
Dad is negotiating with the guy who is having the yard sale.
The guy: It’s like new. We only used it the one time.
Dad: Would you take twenty five for it?
The guy: Sure.
Back in the mini-van, the girls and mom wait. Little Ashley is leaning up against the back seat. Her arms are folded on the top of the seat and her head is resting on her hands. She is looking out the back window . . .
watching for her dad to come. Suddenly she lifts her head up and the other three turn around. “Here he comes!” “And he’s got it!”
Mom pushes a button and the rear hatch door pops open and glides upward. Dad slides the box into the rear compartment area, shuts the hatch door, hustles up to the passenger side door, and gets in.
Mom: Did you see anyone we know?
Dad: Nope.
The girls are all leaning over the back seat now . . . looking at it.
Erin: Is it really that big?
Dad: Well, I believe so.
Mom: We can measure it when we get home.
Tammy: After we set it up.
Dad: Um . . .
Erin: We should test it out.
Dad: You’re right.
Ashley: Can we take our picture with it too?
Mom: Sure honey. Why not?
Tammy: Dad . . . can you keep your mustache on for a while?
Dad: Of course.
Once they are back home little time is wasted and “it” is set up. It is at this moment that the excitement grows. They are really going to do it and the enormity of what they are going to do is hitting home. It’s rather like being next in line for a ride on a roller coaster. You’re not on it yet, but soon will be, and you know what it will be like.
Mom pulls out the digital camera and takes three shots of the girls standing with it. Dad then pulls out the tripod . . . mutters something about “evidence” and “sticking together” . . . and two more photos are taken, this time with all five of them standing with it.
Tammy: When are we going to do it?
Dad: (solemnly)
Tomorrow night.