a story that needs to be told

it must be said that these days, other than a handful of loyal friends and my faithful grandparents, i have no idea who reads this thing. i did check my "stats" recently and someone has clicked more than a dozen times from FRANCE in the last month. Bonjour!

so, most of you may be bored with this story or the entire blog, so go read some news or visit http://blog.mrslilien.com/ or http://blackeiffel.blogspot.com/ or something.

Now, after that warning, no apologies for this story I'm merely getting down on paper for my own memory's sake.

Flashback to the first weekend of August. DC with Caitlin & Bonnie & LJ for a bit. Then, Philadelphia with Paige & Caitlin. What a wonderful, marvelous 40 hours. So, these two brunettes are hilarious and funny and caring and generally just, can't say enough good things. Normally I'd consider myself the embarrassing or weird or foolish one, or all of those things, but not for one morning in Philly. No, no, these two became all three traits: embarrassing. foolish. weird.

Where: We went to visit Christ Church on this warm summer morning, having walked across town from our hotel, crossing cobblestone streets and passing the Liberty Bell and other historical sites. We entered the ancient church, dripping with history and architecturally impressive, and sat in the same pews as our Founding Families. We listened to a tour guide weave the end of his tale, glanced at the gardens, and wandered around as the tour broke up. I wanted to look at William Penn's specific pew and these two wandered out to the gift shop.

The tour guide stood in the middle aisle of the glorious sanctuary. "You don't happen to have any questions for me, do you young lady?" He was a bit nerdy and wearing a name tag and tall socks. I figured I was foolish if I didn't ask a question. I don't remember what the first thing I asked was, but I know we talked for over ten minutes. He was THE OFFICIAL HISTORIAN of the CHRIST CHURCH. One of the oldest, most historical, religiously and otherwise, churches in the history of our NATION. All caps to emphasize my excitement to be talking to him, one on one, soaking up facts and culture and just, enjoying. I looked around, Paige & Caitlin no where in sight. They'll come back to find me, I thought, as he continued telling me about black slaves who were baptized during the slave services at the church long before integration was ever even a passing thought. Finally, I figured Paige and Caitlin must have abandoned me or I was being rude as they wanted to visit the next site on our list.

I thanked Homeboy Historian for his time, smiled a big smile, and walked out, feeling so privileged to have casually bumped into such a fountain of information, who was willing to talk to a ditsy, blonde girl as myself.

I purchased a few postcards for some students in the gift shop on my way out of the church and hurried to find my two wonderful friends. Not ten steps from the exit, among all the beautiful red brick and cobblestones and green, luscious trees, I saw them. Standing up against the church in semi provocative poses, laughing loudly, taking pictures of each other glamour-shot style, barely caring who noticed.

I was speechless.

Excuse me. What are you two doing? Is this what you have been doing the WHOLE time??

They were just a tad ashamed, but only a tad. "Yes," Caitlin confessed. "We even used a self timer because you weren't here. WHERE WERE YOU, by the way?"

"Oh, where was I? Where was I while you two were making eyes for the camera, fluffing your hair, and leaning against what I must admit is a great backdrop of old red brick? Where was I?"

"Um, yes, I think that's what I just asked you."

"Oh, just talking to the HEAD HISTORIAN of the church and listening to him tell stories!!!! You wanna hear 'em?!?!"

Paige avoided eye contact and fluffed her brown locks. Caitlin looked at Paige and then back to me. "Nope. But you wanna take our picture now that you're out here?" She smiled her most deviant smile and thrust me her camera.

If they weren't so goshed darn fun and usually normal and appreciative of history and America, I would have killed them. Instead, I made sure to get the best angle possible.