I have one child (Smiley) who detests change in any form or fashion. She's definitely loyal and faithful until the end! The neighbors paint their shutters? Tears from Smiley. We get a new chair to replace the old, creaky brown bomb? Wails from Smiley. My mom's cat who passed away a year ago? Smiley still mourns and cries for that loss (understandably).
It really is sweet at times. At others, it is a little ridiculous. This is the child who will drive the same car forever or live in the same house with no repairs until she is old and feeble. Of course, she is also the child who may never willingly leave our house?!?!
Just like any characteristic, this overt loyalty trait can be healthy in moderation. In excess, it can be a little tiring at times.
Okay, now to the recent pillow experience. It is almost embarrassing to tell, but I'll go ahead. Smiley has been sleeping for years on this flat, ugly pillow. To be honest, I just hadn't gotten around to buying a new, fluffy one for her. Well, with Linens and Things going out of business, I decided on Tuesday to buy Smiley a new pillow. The sale there wasn't that great yet, but we went ahead a bought her a bright white, crisp pillow. Magnificent, I thought! Smiley was excited, too, carrying the pillow out of the store and to the car.
As you can probably guess, that didn't last too long. We got home and changed out the pillows. Ready to go for night-time. I sent her to the garage trash with the old, old pillow. It is not to be saved for any future purposes. Its life is complete.
That night, Smiley heads to bed. It wasn't an hour later and I look up to Smiley tip-toeing into the living room. "Yes, Smiley? What are you doing out of bed?" I ask. She responds, "I miss my old pillow. I don't want the new one." I sigh, "Go back to bed and give the new pillow a chance." A few grumbles later and she is at last asleep.
I think after a good night's rest, she will totally forget about the former friend she slept on for years. Right? No, wrong.
Fast-forward to last night... As I was blogging my confession to you all, somehow, someway, under some circumstance unbeknownst to me, she slips the ugly old pillow back into her room. How did I find out about it? When I go to check on the girls after they are all asleep, I find Smiley with the old pillow (minus a pillowcase) under her head and the pretty new one under feet. Is that a smile I see on her face? Yep, I think it is. She has the best of both worlds - the old at her head and the new at her feet.
I try not to cringe at the thought of where this yucky pillow lived for a night and day - remember? At the outside trash? But, I guess that is beside the point now. She is out cold with it tucked comfortably under her. I wasn't about to yank it out! LOL!
Sigh...I'm sure one day we will tame of this intense loyalty Smiley has. Or will we ever? Regardless of that, for now we may just let her decide which pillow she wants to "talk" to at night!
Cindy and crew
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