Kate

“I’ve never had tater tots before” Kate said in a tiny voice.

Mary Alice my gangly thirteen year old sister quoted a line from Napoleon Dynamite in which my 20 year old brother Isaac promptly corrected.  Mary Alice stood with her shoulders stooped slightly forward. She’s shot up at least 3 inches since last summer. It’s odd seeing her quote a movie older than usual. The quote is hopefully a blip.      

“I’ve never seen that movie” Kate said even smaller, her childlike voice seems to be dwarfed by her body like there’s an invisible little girl speaking behind her.

I come in the dining room and see my sister’s friend Kate.  At age 15 and six feet tall with about 2 inches on me I how you say try and remember how to forget my envy.  Everyone sits down. My sister Lark,16, is about 5’5’’ with huge eyes and probably enough spunk to fill up Kate’s body.   Mary Alice my other taller sister has a 13 year old friend at about 6’1’’ but with a slight base in her voice and a sort of rambunctious assertiveness that makes sense for someone her size and, age. My younger brother Isaac stands at 6’3’’ and I 5’10’.

“You’ll have to learn that about 60% of what we say you can’t take seriously” said Isaac.

“Okay” said Kate

“You probably can’t even take that seriously” my dad said, (6’1’’).

“okay”.

“You don’t have to take everything we say seriously” said Isaac with gusto.

“You don’t even have to listen if you don’t want to.” I said

“Don’t worry Kate I’ll come over one day and teach you how to joke and make fun of people and stuff.”  Isaac offered in kind jest.

“Really, that would be awesome?!”

“Don’t worry I’m teaching her everything I know” Lark said

“Lark you teaching Kate how to not be gullible is like dad teaching me….” Isaac sits back “It’s like dad teaching me who’s a good rapper and who isn’t: ‘Oh Lil Wayne is the best blu brr brr’” He said in a grubby voice.

 “Lark you had to fall and trip just to avoid being hit by lightning.” This reference of Isaac’s is a true story and one that is so bazaar to even reference at all let alone try and link to Lark’s gullibility that it put Kate’s gullibility out of context. Lark has a certain free spirit that makes it possible for unfortunate events and people to take advantage of her. Kate sat eating the tots she’s never had before.

“Kate I bet you the word gold isn’t on the ceiling” Lark said. Kate ate and kept silent. This is the third time Kate’s eaten over and surprises me that she keeps coming.

“Sorry we have such weird conversations Kate” dad said.

“Yeah we pretty much don’t stop talking” said Mary Alice.

“It’s okay, I’ve eaten over at Carsyn’s house and they never talk” Kate looks at Lark. “Oh Carsyn” Lark said.

“At Anne’s house all they talk about is shopping and school.”

I look over at my mom who was mostly silent throughout the dinner but usually gives more than her fair share of laughs. We start clearing off the table and Lark tells Mary Alice to stand up straight “Yeah Mary Alice” said Kate.