- Campuses :
- Twin Cities
- Crookston
- Duluth
- Morris
- Rochester
- Other Locations
minnesota writing project
center for writing
mwp.umn.edu
center for writing
mwp.umn.edu
Suzanne Myhre
©2009
Maria's Serious Saturday
One Saturday morning, Maria woke up in her usual way. (Picture of a little girl hunched over with really bad bed head).
Maria’s mommy called her to the breakfast table.
Maria went downstairs and sat at the kitchen table with her best buddy, Winston the cat.
“What would you like for breakfast, Maria?” Maria’s mommy asked as she poured some orange juice into a glass.
“I’d want pop-tarts”
“How about a banana?”
“Pop-Tarts.”
“Some yogurt?”
“Pop-Tarts.”
Maria and her mommy made a compromise. One banana, one pop tart. Winston didn’t get anything.
As Maria’s mommy was cleaning up, she told Maria, “I have a surprise for you! Your Auntie Suzie is coming for a visit today.”
Maria smiled and said, “Yea! We get to play!”
Maria’s mommy said, with a twinkle in her eye, “Now remember, your Auntie Suzie is very serious. She won’t be silly and fun. You cannot laugh, and you cannot sing. You must be serious.”
Maria put her head down and smiled, thinking of the last time she saw her Auntie Suzie.
(Picture of Suzie and Maria in some sorts of weird costumes)
Maria took a bath, got dressed, and brushed her teeth. Then she sat in front of the window and waited.
“When is Auntie Suzie coming, Mommy?”
“In one hour.”
Five minutes later, Maria asked, “When is Auntie Suzie coming, Mommy?”
“In fifty-five minutes.”
This went on for quite awhile, until Maria saw a blue VW Beetle turn into her driveway. It was Auntie Suzie!
Maria ran outside, and grabbed Auntie Suzie’s hand, “Auntie Suzie! Auntie Suzie!”
Auntie Suzie gave Maria a big hug. She let Maria carry her pink duffel bag upstairs. Maria loved Auntie Suzie’s duffel bag. Not only was it pink, but it usually contained a present. Maria wanted to know what was inside.
“I’ll show you later,” said Auntie Suzie, “Now let me put on my sneakers so we can go outside.”
Maria helped Auntie Suzie put on her shoes. Then she grabbed Auntie Suzie’s hand and went downstairs.
“Mommy!” called Maria, “Auntie Suzie and I are going outside.”
“Okay,” said Maria’s mommy, “but remember, there is to be no laughter, and no fun. You must be very serious.” Maria’s mommy winked at Auntie Suzie.
“Oh yes,” said Auntie Suzie, her voice deep and strong. “We will be so serious. We will not laugh. We will not sing. We will be very serious.”
Maria looked at her Auntie Suzie. Maria was very worried. What if she didn’t understand the joke? Auntie Suzie saw the worried look on Maria’s face and whispered to her, “Just tell your mommy that we’re going to be serious,” Auntie Suzie whispered.
“But we’re really going to have fun, right?” Maria whispered back.
“Heck yeah!” said Auntie Suzie.
Maria approached her mommy again, put her hands on her hips, frowned, and said, “We’re going outside to be very serious. We will not laugh. We will not sing.” Maria calmly turned around, took Auntie Suzie’s hand, and led her outside.
As soon as Maria and Auntie Suzie got outside, they giggled.
When they got to the yard, Auntie Suzie very seriously showed Maria her silly walk.
Maria made up a serious silly walk as well. The two laughed very loudly.
Then, Maria picked up a serious dandelion. “Make a wish!” said Auntie Suzie.
Maria yelped, “I WISH…”
“WAIT!” Auntie Suzie interrupted. “Your wish has to be a secret or it won’t come true. If it’s a serious wish, that it.”
Maria closed her eyes and whispered as soft as she could, “I wish I was a butterfly.” With one very serious blow, she sent the dandelion fluff flying away.
“Oh my!” said Auntie Suzie, “Did you wish you were a butterfly? I know because I can see your wings and your antennas.” Maria swooshed across the yard and pretended to fly away. Maria was very serious about being a butterfly. Auntie Suzie was very serious about trying to catch the butterfly (picture of Suzie chasing after Maria with a net).
At lunchtime, Maria’s mommy made very serious sandwiches with very serious peanut butter and fluff.
Later, Maria and Auntie Suzie decided they needed to put on a very serious play.
They found some very serious puppets (picture of them with socks on their hands) named Sweetie and Bada. Maria was Sweetie, Auntie Suzie was Bada. Winston played the cat.
They found some very serious props (pictures of them with toilet paper and a plunger) They found a patch of grass in the backyard that was the perfect stage.
Bada very seriously came with a plunger. Sweetie swiped it was and tied Bada up with toilet paper. Somehow Auntie Suzie was tied up as well. (Picture of Suzie tied up with toilet paper).
After the play, Maria’s daddy came home. He took on the role of Dr. Barowski, the medical rabbit who fixed Sweetie’s upset stomach.
Later that evening, Maria’s mommy said, “Bad news, Maria. Your Daddy and I are going out, so you’ll have to spend a very serious evening with Auntie Suzie.” Maria grinned, as she led Auntie Suzie upstairs for a serious re-enactment of “Cinderella.” Actually, seven re-enactments.
After Maria’s Mommy and Daddy left, the pair seriously slurped up spaghetti for dinner. Afterward, they watched a the very serious cinematic classic, “The Little Mermaid.” They pretended to be Ariel, swimming through the ocean.
At bedtime, Auntie Suzie said, “Okay, my serious friend. Time for serious pajamas.” Maria put on her princess sleeping gown, and Auntie Suzie donned a fabulous pink robe.
“Time to look in the pink duffel bag.” Maria ran to the duffel bag. She unzipped the top and found a brand new book laying on top. It had a princess on the cover. Maria and Auntie Suzie snuggled into bed and read about the beautiful princess and her great adventures traveling through the world. After they had read the book three times, Auntie Suzie turned out the light.
“Auntie Suzie, will you stay with me until I fall asleep?”
“Absolutely, kiddo!”
Maria’s eyes got very small and she murmured, “I love you Auntie Suzie, but you seriously wear me out.”
“I seriously love you too. You’re my favorite girl in the world.” And with that, Maria, drifted off to sleep, seriously dreaming about her very serious Saturday.
