Dodo Eggs

Sometimes life’s gear work requires a dab of good grace to keep things working smoothly.  Situations will arise were the details say you’re right but you bow to avoid hard feelings.  Someone may say something careless and you pass over it without causing a stink.  It’s a trait that separates the peacemakers from the unbearable protests of squeaky wheels. 

Here’s an example.

During the long days of summer break, my cousin Dustin would come to North Dakota and invest his time helping the Teply boys find the “next good time.”  We played violent video games, rode our bikes everywhere, enjoying a good laugh, and the rest of our time was spent underwater at the pool.  When Dustin was visiting us, he was one of us.

These were the years immediately following the break of Mom and Dad Teply and Dustin came from Mom’s side of the family.  Despite the ugly circumstances, Dad would welcome Dustin along whenever he took the rest of us for a weekend.  To my understanding, it was never really an issue.  Until…

My father decided to take all of us, including Dustin and my Teply Grandparents, on a little vacation.  What you should understand about vacations in western North Dakota is that it requires at least a six-hour drive just to get out of the prairie.  The Black Hills and Mount Rushmore constitute the only exception to the monolithic carpet of grass.  Ergo, the only other choice is a little tourist town in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (Mind you, Roosevelt was a New York native.  Notable people are hard to come by in Dakota.).  Considering I’d been there nearly once a month, the trip didn’t send my heart racing. 

We stopped at a fast food restaurant for some hamburger-like sandwiches before leaving town.  We stood in front of the register eager to order a cumulative five pounds of French fries each mechanically sliced to be the exact diameter of the adult aorta.  All of us were there:  Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, the complete Teply brood, Uncle William, and Dustin.    

Once inside, Grandma ambled up to Dustin and asked, “Well, did you bring any money?”

“No.”  Dustin replied. 

“Are you expecting Jack to pay for your food?  Why should he pay for you when you aren’t family?”

Dad overheard the conversation and quickly said that he would cover for Dustin.  The matter was settled except in Dustin’s mind.  Once back in the car, he leaned over to Nate and said, “Wow, what was your grandma’s name again?  Isn’t it Grandma Dollar?  I think I’m going to call her Grandma Dollar from now on.”

When I heard what Dustin had said, I simply rolled my eyes and hoped the matter would go away.  It didn’t.  Mom heard about the story, then everyone on the other side of the family, then the mailman, the family psychiatrist, call centers all over India…you get the idea. 

Technically, Grandma was right.  Dustin wasn’t in Dad’s family anymore and perhaps Dad didn’t need to take responsibility for him.  However, good grace prevailed and Dustin received his meal. 

Although my siblings and I respect our Grandmother too much to ever call her Grandma Dollar, the story and especially the meaning behind it sticks with us.  A little  grace always greases the wheels.

• Dustin – Safe Only At A Distance
• Grandpa Teply
• The Doctor is…
• Cooking With Love
• The Outhouse