Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I went to college a mere 45 minute drive from my home, so my parents visited often. My mom did my laundry. (Yes, I was one of those kids.) Once a week she would drop off the clean and pick up the dirty. Her thought process was that it was cheaper for her than giving me quarters for the laundromat. (Again, yes, one of those kids.) These visits usually involved taking me and often a roommate or friend out to lunch. During my senior year - the year I was 21 and therefore of legal drinking age - if that visit occurred on a Friday, I would ask them to drop me off after lunch not at my house, but at the bar where I knew at least a few of my friends would already be getting their happy hour on.

Happy hour, in 1983/1984 at this particular bar, meant dime a draft or dollar a (generously poured) well drink. God, I miss the 80's.

So they - my parents - the teetotalers - would pull up in front of the bar - slip me a $5 - kiss me - and say, "Don't drink." I would exit the car in my high-waisted pegged jeans and cheap pumps that matched my top with enough money in my fist to get pretty darn drunk and still leave a tip. Oh Daddy dear, you know you're still number one - but girls - they wanna have fu-un.

Flash forward to the present.

My parents came to visit my sister and I this week. While they didn't do our laundry, they did take both of our families out to eat. At some point during the meal, my sister asked if I'd be interested in going out for a beer after dinner. Guess what I said. Go on, guess. So my mother slipped us a $20 and asked if we needed a ride to the bar. Oh Mother dear, we're not the fortunate ones - but girls (still) just wanna have fu-un.

Now $20 wasn't enough to get us drunk, or even decently buzzed. But it was enough.

And they played a lot of good 80's music.

12 comments:

Cheryl said...

Wow, a money-slipping mom. I didn't know they existed in real life.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane with your sweet teetotaler folks.

Formerly known as Frau said...

Love it....I so miss the 80's! Your parents were so cool...mine would never do that!

Gibby said...

Can your mom come visit me?? Puh-lease????

On Tuesday nights in college we had dollar beer nights (the 90s, sorry) and we would hand over a ten and take all 9 dollars back. After all, that was another 9 beers we could get...

Vivienne @ the V Spot said...

That. Is. Awesome.

I miss the 80s too.....

Macey said...

The only thing I miss about the 80's are the shoulder pads and gas prices. LOL

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

It's so cute that your mom slipped you money even now. You are still her little girls!

Unknown said...

I love this story, and ah yes those were good years, I was 21 in 1981, and that was a cheap time to hit the bars.
My mom would have a drink with me in the old day.......now she enjoys a glass of wine.
Good times!

Anonymous said...

How sweet and fun is that??

Carma Sez said...

they played a lot of 80's music? worth it.

Claudya Martinez said...

I love that she's still slipping you money.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Those were the days.... I loved the 80s.

And your folks-- I love that-- "Don't drink!" Yeah right.

I love the way you tell a story Tammy! More please.
xo

Sandy said...

What a cool mom!