This Little Quirk of Mine, I'm Gonna Let it Shine

For as long as a I can remember, I have loved to scare people. Call it a quirk, call it a flaw, or call it a talent (if you ask me). Simply put, I love it. I love the rush, the look on the other person's face and the belly laughs that follow.

As a child, I can remember hiding on the top bunk of my brother's bed awaiting the moment my mom would come tuck him into bed. I'd wait for the exact right moment to pounce. I can also remember finally being told that I needed to stop with the bunk bed scare tactics because my mom was over it.

As I got older, the need for creating fear never waned. Even as an adult, I would still find myself laying under my parent's bed waiting for my mom to crawl in so I could reach for her ankles or creepily drag my finger nails on the box spring until I was heard. On a good day, you could also find me sitting under a co-workers desk as they came back from lunch. The people in my life who have been victims of my pranks can often be overheard asking one another "where is she" before they climb into bed or enter a dark hall. Even the Hubs can be seen slowly rounding a corner in our house when he doesn't see me idling around somewhere.

This Monday after a visit to the nursing home to see my grandpa , my dad and I realized that he would not have time to drop me off at home before he had to pick up my mom at the bus terminal following her ride home from the airport. As we pulled into the dark parking lot I knew right away that I was going to have a little fun with this detour.

Quietly I sat in the backseat and leaned as close to the passengers side door as possible. Thanks to my belly, I couldn't crouch down between the seats, so I flattened myself against the door as much as I could. Smart thinking on my part as the first thing she did when she got in the front seat was to look into the backseat to ensure I wasn't hiding back there. I told you they look for me around many a dark corner.

As my dad got in the car after loading her luggage, I could read his face and was praying he'd be able to hold in a chuckle until the time was right. Once he was in, my mom reached for a pack of M&M's in the cup holder and asked "since when do M&M's come in a white bag?" That was my cue. I quietly leaned forward before my dad could respond and said in my lowest voice, about 2 inches from her ear "since today".

The look on her face and the prolonged scream out of her mouth was amazing! She pressed herself against the passenger window with cat like reflexes. In that moment I was confident that my pregnant bladder might not withstand the laughter taking over my body. All I kept thinking was "poor Ziggy!" All of the adrenaline rushing through me coupled with her horror movie scream was probably the first time this momma has scared her own son. Notice I said the first time. My poor children will most likely be more afraid of their mom hiding under their beds than monsters or creatures. When they tell their dad that somethings under their bed, he can assure them "it's okay, it's just your crazy mom."

Welcome back, mom. So glad I could be a part of your arrival!