When Your Elastic Pops

My Grandmother, Nanny, was the best.

She lived about 10 minutes away from us when I was growing up and she had a huge part in raising me and my sister.

She was French, and I still hear her heavily accented voice in my head every day.

I miss her.

But she left us with some wonderful memories.

Now, my sister tells this story the best, but I'll try to do it justice.

We were in New York City around Christmastime.  Nanny had taken me, Susan, Mom and Dad to NYC for a show and to see The Nutcracker Ballet.  We were staying in The Plaza Hotel.  Like Eloise.

Susan and I used to run around that place like Eloise, too, but that's a story for another time.

We were all walking through the lobby of the Plaza, returning from a fancy something-or-other, because Nanny was wearing a slip.

She was walking hand in hand with Susan, who noticed that Nanny's slip started to, well, slip.

"Nanny," Susan whispered, "your slip is falling!"

Nanny didn't respond, she just kept her eyes forward as they walked.

The slip slipped further.

"Nanny!"  she whispered louder, "your slip!"

"Ignore it..." Nanny said as she kept walking, holding Susan's hand.

It slipped further and further and Nanny slowed a bit, but kept walking.

"Nanny!"

"Keep walking."

Now it was at her ankles.  Nanny looked straight ahead.

Susan didn't know what to do.

Until suddenly, the slip was flopped over Nanny's shoes.

And with that, Nanny stepped right out of the slip, and kept walking.

"Nanny!!!"

"Ignore it."

I think Susan and I went back later to look for the slip, but it was gone.  Score one for the staff at The Plaza.

I think of this story all the time with a laugh and smiles, as this was just so Nanny.  Until I realized recently that this is an excellent story about life.

When your elastic suddenly pops, and your slip falls and drags you down, step out of it and keep on going.  Looking straight ahead.  As if nothing is happening.

Thanks Nanny.