And I actually have a story to tell!!
I really did plan to post yesterday, but I got wrapped up in my taxes for the THIRD day in a row. It was almost 9:00 pm when I finally finished last night, but that is partially my fault! My sister, Sara, called and invited me to lunch. Being the good sister that I am, and never one to waste an opportunity to procrastinate or indulge in a good lunch, I went. We met at a fantastic little cafe down the street from where my daughter (Bri) works (this is relevant to the story).
After partaking in a most delicious club sammich, we had a few minutes to kill (well, I didn't really, but again, who doesn't find a reason to procrastinate when doing taxes) so we decided to have a look at a little shop across the road, which ended up being closed. Now one would think at this point that we would just go on to the house, but one obviously has never met me and Sara. When we are together. And presented with an opportunity to cause some mischief. Did I mention the part about my daughter working just down the street? Yea.
My daughter, Bri, is an RVT (Registered Vet Tech) and she works at a fabulous Veterinary Clinic. She loves her job, but it can be stressful. Animals can't tell you what's wrong or where it hurts. Both me and Sara know this, so it only takes us about a 3 second conversation to know that we need to take the opportunity to "brighten" her day. I'm not going to spoil the story, so read on, but just know that Sara came up with a brilliant idea and we planned all the rest of the "story" on the 2.5 minute walk to the clinic.
The set up: When we get to the clinic we decided to take the elevator so she wouldn't see us coming. So we exit the elevator and look around, no Bri in sight so I put on my "confused and panicked" face and head to the front desk. The lovely young lady behind the desk (who we will refer to as EM from here on out to protect the innocent) hasn't had the privilege of meeting us before so the plan engages:
EM: "Hi! Can I help you?"
Me: "Is "called my daughter by her full name" in?"
EM: "Yes, but she's in with a patient, can I help you?"
Me: "Oh good. Don't bother her while she is with her patient, but when she comes out can you please tell her that we own a Flea Circus and our best flea, Pedro, broke his leg and we need to know if she can fix it." Ya'll, the look on this woman's face was PRICELESS!! I grinned real big and pointed at myself and Sara and said "Mom, Aunt". When I tell you that this woman grinned like the Grinch taking candy from Cindy Lou Who, you are just going to have to trust me and know that we found the perfect accomplice!
EM headed to the back like a woman on a mission with a look of shear determination on her face and we moved over to the waiting room to watch for the fireworks. It didn't take long before I hear a muffled but elevated "Today is not the day" from the back and I knew we had scored!
That swinging door flew open and Bri looked both confused and ready to throw down! We couldn't even hold it together at that point, me and Sara both busted out laughing. It took Bri a few seconds to realize what was going on and the subsequent facial expressions of confusion with a muttered "What the hell?" and then recognition with a more comical "I should have known!"and finally relief resulted in even more laughs from us.
Bri: "I should have known! When EM told me that two ladies came in with a Flea Circus I thought I was fixin to have to whoop somebodies ass!" Even harder laughing from us! Also, Bri gets more country sounding when she's excited, as do the rest of us!
After a good round of laughs and introductions, Sara and I left because our work there was done (and they really were busy). But the story doesn't end there.....
Later that evening, Bri gets home and comes to find me (she lives next door). She's in a better mood and tells me what happened behind the scenes. Apparently our accomplice, EM, picked her moment and approached Bri while she was done, but still in the room with a patient.
Bri proceeds to tell me that EM came in to the room looking all serious and the conversation went something like this -
EM: "Hey. There are two ladies out front that own a Flea Circus that came in asking for you."
Bri: "huh?"
EM in all seriousness: "Yea, they own a Flea Circus and apparently their star flea, Pedro, broke his leg and they need you to fix it." Bri later told me that EM could have won an Oscar for that performance.
Bri in confused disbelief: "Wait. What?"
EM very calmly and seriously: "There are two ladies out front that own a Flea Circus. One of the fleas broke his leg and they want you to fix it."
Bri looks over that the patient's owner, who is still in the room and looking both confused and unsure about what is happening and Bri says something along the lines of: "I can't... a Flea Circus?... This is not happening..." at which point she heads to the front and that's when I hear the muffled but elevated "Today is not the day"...you know the rest of that part.
When Bri returned to the back after our departure, the patient and owner were still in the room. She said he (the owner) had this expectant look on his face and she knew he wanted to know what was going on since he had witnessed the "seriousness" of EM delivering the message and the disbelief that Bri had experienced upon hearing such a "serious" message. She then had to explain that her Mom and Aunt were behind the "Flea Circus" because "they had nothing better to do". The patient's owner busted out laughing too.
No one can ever say that we are not entertaining.