Week 9 Journal 1

"We're lost."

"For the third time, we're not lost, Amanda," Eddie replied.

"Are you sure? I think we passed that cow before."

Eddie took his eyes off the road just long enough to shoot an icy stare at his kid sister.

They continued down the two lane highway, passing rolling hills and pastures, cows and horses. Amanda sat up as straight as she could to see out the window from her booster seat. Each time they would see a bale of hay, she perked up. "Is that it, Eddie?"

"Amanda, how many times do I have to tell you? Aunt Lucy lives in a town called Hayfield, not in an actual hay field."

"Oh yeah."

Eddie had to admit, it might as well be an actual hay field. Mom and Dad usually made the drive down to drop off Amanda for the weekend, but Eddie had had his driver's license for almost a year now. It sure seemed a lot longer driving the trip from Minneapolis to the middle-of-nowhere himself. The Hannah Montana CD playing in the stereo might have had something to do with that.

Eddie was old enough to stay home now while his parents were both out of town, but Amanda was only five, and between school and work couldn't take care of her during the day.

Finally, the right street name appeared on the horizon, and they turned off the highway into the little town of Hayfield.

"Here it is, Amanda."

Amanda popped her head out of her book and looked out out at the little town. Everywhere she looked, she saw people standing on the street corners.

"Why is everyone just standing around, Eddie?"

"It's a small town. Just about everybody knows everybody else. You stop and talk to Mrs. B. every time you see her in the alley at home, don't you?"

"Oh. Where's Aunt Lucy's house?"

"I'm going to drop you off at Aunt Lucy's salon, remember? It's just past the bank over there."

As the car turned the corner into the parking lot, Amanda looked puzzled. "Where's the bank?"

"It's right here."

"Nuh-uh. There no zoomy tubes."

"It's a little bank, Amanda," Eddie replied, rubbing at the dull headache in his forehead as he got out of the car. "You have to go inside. they don't have a drive-up."

Eddie walked around the car, unstrapped Amanda, and held her hand as they walked down the sidewalk and into the salon.

Amanda surveyed the salon. It was a small room, with just enough room for one hair station, complete with sink. In the front of the store were a small cluster of chairs around a small magazine rack, and a plastic bin with some beat up old board books and toys. Along the other wall sat three older ladies, reading magazines with their heads in funny-shaped buckets attached to the wall. Aunt Lucy stood next to the hair station, leaning over the sink to wash someone's hair.

"Aunt Lucy!"

"Hi, Mandy! I'll be over in just a sec, okay?"

After seating Mrs. Kreuger under the fourth and final hood drier along the wall, Aunt Lucy came over and gave Amanda a big hug.

"Hi sweetie. Ready to help me do some hair today?"

"Yeah!"

"Eddie, you want to stay for lunch?"

"No thanks, Aunt Lucy. I've got a long drive back, and I have get to work this afternoon, still."

"Okay, well at least grab a pop out of the cooler in back for the drive home."

Eddie smiled, and went into the back to find a soda. Amanda sat down and began rifling through the toy bin, "Hey, this is mine!"

"Mommy gave me some of your old toys, hon. You can play with them while you're here. Did you have a good trip down?"

"Uh-huh. But I think Eddie went the wrong way."

"Why?"

"There's no hay here."