Preface 2: Sam Barnes. Sam grew up in Chesterfield, MO where my aunt Susan was his middle school principle. He moved to Southlake, TX in high school but in the middle of our senior year Sam moved back to Missouri. Random: He flew back to Southlake to be my prom date and ended up getting food poisoning that night.
I wish I was a decent writer so I could portray to you the love/hate relationship we have with these birds. I have mentioned before- my dad's family all lives in Missouri and we rarely see them. But one thing was constant. The owls. The owls became a 25+ year game between my dad and aunt Susan. No matter where we were living the birds would magically show up on our door step or in our mail box. Neither of them wanted these birds so whatever it took to get the birds out of their house and into the others was done. I still don't know how the birds ended up at our doorstep in Nashville one day.
The day that Sam moved to Missouri I asked him to do me a favor and deliver the owls to Susan. I remember specifically telling him "Do not let her see you! Just put them in her mailbox and leave" I handed him the box and he left. As soon as he arrived in Missouri I called him and asked if he had delivered the owls. He told me that he could not find them and they must of been lost during the move. I didn't believe him so I waited a few months and asked again and he said that he never found them. I was mortified! My dad was so angry with me for losing the owls and to this day he still gives me a hard time about it. I just wanted to help with the game. Fast forward 9 years as most of you know my granddad Bruce passed away a month ago today. It's been really hard on my dad and Susan. While in Missouri for the funeral I apologized to Susan about the owls again and she said don't worry about it! I did worry about it, they are a family heirloom no matter how ugly they are and it was just a fun game that I ruined.
These aren't the exact owls but they are pretty close.
Last night I get a phone call from Susan. She and Doug had been at the lake all week and randomly decided to come home yesterday. She was laughing and crying, mainly crying. Her words exactly to me "Erica, 28 minutes ago a woman came to my door. The woman said to me 'You don't know me but my name is Mrs. Barnes I have had this box for you in my basement for 9 years' and she handed me the owls. I HAVE THE BIRDS!". Mrs. Barnes is Sam's mom. I shouted "SHUT UP!" ( I know that's so rude, sorry Susan) I kept saying "oh my god" over and over. I still can't get over it or wrap my head around it. So many questions. I have always said that everything happens for a reason and I swear it's fate. Life is entertaining and fate is a powerful thing! Susan was so happy and I am so relieved! So now the owl game is back on after a 10 year hiatus. My dad is a little worried.
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