Lemonade stand

So on that long, long day, about a week and a half ago, when Liz did her laundry, drove me home, got mad @ Mike, left, came back, got me 2 get back in the car w/her, and went 2 Mayes Midtown Motors 4 a fillup, and told me stories from when Mike was five and she was a little baby? A little baby not even present 4 most of the stories she was telling? Yeah, well, I'll U what happed next.

When the station attendants saw that Anthony had gotten gasoline all over himself while trying 2 give Liz her fillup, one of them, André, came running over and sed he'd take over so Anthony cd clean himself up and change his clothes. It seems he always has changes of clothes in his office cuz stuff just goes wrong that regularly.

NEway, B4 he went off 2 change and clean up, Anthony sed that we shd meet him in Gordo's restaurant. Lest U 4get that Mayes Midtown Motors has one. With cinnamon buns.

So Liz and I got a table, and while we w8ed 4 Anthony, Gordo came over 2 chat. "Liz! What have U been up 2?" She told him a summary of our day. He was like, "Really? Seriously? Sounds like U can really use sum coffee and cinnamon buns. On the house, of course!" He snapped his fingers for a waitress, who came over not looking v. happy 2 have sum1 snap fingers @ her.

"Cindy! Free coffee and cinnamon buns for these two. They're Pattersons!"

Cindy bit her lip and sed, "Yes, sir!" She took our coffee orders and left.

Anthony appeared with Michael trailing behind him. "Liz! April! Gordon! U'll never believe who I just ran in2!"

Gordo sed, "Since Michael Patterson is standing rite behind U, I'd wager U ran in2 him."

Anthony was all, "Yeah! Hey, it's no mistake he's the boss, am I rite, ladies? And Mike?"

So Mike sat down next 2 me and Anthony plunked himself next 2 Liz. Mike was all, "Lizardbreath, which story did U just tell?" She let him know that she'd just told the story of Mike's big "KASMASH" from the kitchen while dad was bottlefeeding Liz." Mike was like, "Oh! Well, U have 2 tell the lemonade-stand story next!" That was the very next one in the sequence!

And Liz sed, "Since U R here and U're such an xxpert, Y don't U tell it?"

Cindy showed up w/the coffee and cinnamon buns and put them on the table. Then she took coffee orders from Mike and Anthony.

Mike was like, "Good thinking, Lizard! Leave the storytelling 2 the professional when he's available! Okay, so watch carefully." Mike sprang 4 consecutive thot bubbles. In the 1st, 5yo Mike was sitting on the stoop just outside the house. He had a sailbout next 2 him, and he had his head resting on 2 grotesquely 4shortened 4arms, with his elbowz on his knees. We cd C Mom's legs in plaid just behind him. Mike had a speech bubble with, "I don't have NEthing 2 do. I don't have NE1 to play w/." In the next thot bubble, Mom was sitting down on the stoop next 2 Mike. In this panel, he looked bald and had the double-eyebrow effect peeps useta get then. His arms were crossed on his knees and his hands looked v. deformed. Mom had an arm around Mike and sed, "I have an idea! Y don't we set up a lemonade stand!" 3rd thot bubble, Mike, still balding, was C'n across the street telling Lawrence and sum freckled kid w/glasses, "Hey, guys! My mom is settin' up a lemonade stand!" In the background was Mom setting up the stand in front of the house: "Lemonade 1 c." Final thot bubble, Mom was sitting at the stand, pouring lemonade 4 Mike, who had his tung sticking out of the corner of his mouth. Lawrence, Gordo, another boy, and a little girl were crowding around the table. Mom thot bubbled, "Sumhow.. this isn't what I had in mind..."

Gordo sed, "Oh, I remember that! Mike, yr mother's lemonade was horrible! It's like U'd get a gulp of sour lemon taste, and then a big clump of sugar. It was awful. As soon as we'd tasted that junk, we all ran home."

Mike looked kind of sad. "Yeah. Then I was bored again. I think I got Mom 2 put on a puppet show."

Liz went, "Where was I during all this?"

Mike sed, "Oh, U were in yr crib. Mom useta just leave U there when she was bizzy and Dad wasn't willing or able 2 help out. When we went back in2 the house U were screaming. U'd spat up all over yrself and yr diaper was soaked."

Liz sed, "It just figures!" When Mike gave her a stern look and rolled his eyez in Anthony's direction, Liz sed, "But Mom cdn't help it b-cuz she knew she was nurturing a son who was xxtra smart and sensitive and theatrical and inquisitive, who needed the xxtra attention."

Anthony broke in w/"B-sides, all that neglect helped make U the good person U R 2day."

Gordo sed, "I'm having an Elly-Patterson lemonade flashback. I'm outta here."

Stay tuned 4 more reminiscing.

Apes