Say hello to your friends

When people ask why I failed to graduate on time, do I have to admit it's because I've been reading these Baby-sitters Club fanfics?

I think Carrie and Gwen might understand, but other people might think it's...odd.

On Sunday, my cousin ran the New York City Marathon, and my parents went to see her. According to my mom, Alanna ran right past them without noticing them at first. This was understandably upsetting to my mom, especially since she had made a sign.

"You made a sign?" I inquired, uncomprehending. It wasn't that I doubted my mom's ability to make a sign. It was that I have run in nine officially sanctioned races, including one marathon and two half-marathons, and not only does my mother typically avoid having to come and watch me run, she has definitely never made me a sign.

"I don't know what got into me!" my mother replied, sounding both bewildered and exhilirated by her own sign-making prowess. "I made them in Greetings Workshop [a computer program]. They said things like, Way to Go Alanna!"

"Wait," I interrupted. "They? How many signs did you make?"

"I made three signs," my mom said, sounding increasingly sheepish.

"Three!" I cried, completely petulant. "You have never made me even one sign! Not one!"

I think both my mother and I learned something very important as a result of this conversation. My mother learned that she is totally coming to my next marathon, with at least four signs. And I learned that I am definitely a spoiled only child.

(And, Carrie and Dianne's marathon signs were better.)