May 16: Lindsay

Last night a group of ten sat in my section. It was clear that they were mostly family with a few friends thrown in. There was the father, the mother, the grandparents, and the brother and sister. I don't know if they were celebrating an occasion or just dining out. I do know that when I set the large country fried steak in front of the (I'm guessing here) eleven-year-old girl, her face lit up and her glance immediately adverted in the direction of the (guessing again) sixteen-year-old brother across the table. Her facial expression said it all, "Look how big this thing is!" The shocked expression and gleaming smile of the brother responded with an inaudible look of support.

This small and wordless exchange really pulled on my emotional strings. I have never experienced a real connection with a table. I rarely care what the guest has to say and my interaction with all of my tables is rarely more than the necessary exchange of dialogue. This particular table was no exception by any means, either. In fact, I was a little perturbed by the way the father of the group was flexing his alpha-male muscles and ordering me around. That innocent look of astonishment and amaze that the little girl radiated towards her brother and the way the look was received made me think of my own sister and how I sometimes feel like she is the only one that can relate to me.

Six years my minor, Lindsay is my only sibling. I'm extremely close with my entire family, but I am on a completely separate wave with Lindsay. She gets me. I get her. When we're together, hilarity ensues. I can always get a laugh out of her and she is one of the funniest people I know. She is my biggest audience and although I cross that line of silliness and pure annoyance during every visit with her we still get along beautifully.

Lindsay received all of the good genes between the two of us. She's beautiful and insanely intelligent. I wish I had half the amount of intellect that she possesses because watching her breeze through school and life these past twenty-one years has been simply inspiring. Most people are either book smart or street smart. Lindsay is definitely both.

I love everything about my sister. Sure, we've had our share of run-ins, but what pair of siblings hasn't? Other than the occasional hiccup in our relationship, we've always been very close. The look that little girl gave to her brother made me think of Lindsay and made me realize how much I miss being with her. I've seen my sister once in the last year and for a pair that gets along so well, that's not nearly enough.