Two weeks after I graduated from high school in 1983, my mother loaded me up in my baby blue 1980 Ford LTD and sent me to Austin to attend business school. I fell in love with Austin. The sights, the sounds, the people all intrigued my 18 year old self.
Although I was having fun (too much fun) in Austin, I missed my family and home in Telegraph. I especially missed my baby sister, Kelli. She would be the first one to run out the door and grab me in a bear hug on my visits to home. Kelli and I are twelve and a half years apart. She was more like my own child than a little sister when she came into my life. I packed that child around with me every where I went.
Leaving her behind on Sunday afternoons when I would head back to Austin would tear my heart out. She would stand in the driveway and wave until I was out of sight. As a six year old, she didn't quite understand why I had to live a million miles away just to go to school. She would hang her head each time I would pack up my car on Sunday afternoons.
One particular Sunday afternoon as I was saying my good-byes to the family, I noticed Kelli wasn't outside with us. It was devastating to think she couldn't bear to see me leave....again. I backed out of the driveway with a heavy heart. She wasn't standing in the driveway waving goodbye.
I hit pavement at Telegraph thinking I should turn around and make sure Kelli was all right. Lo and behold, that little punk jumped out from behind the back seat and yelled, "SURPRISE! I have decided I'm going to live with you in Austin!" What's a big sister supposed to do? I called Mama from the store to let her know where Kelli was. Stanley hooked us up with an RC cola and peanuts and we watched the sun go down from the front porch of Telegraph Store. And I ended up staying an extra night at home......
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