Chill Pills and Burnouts

      I have always had a strange way of looking at life. My thoughts are almost never lined up with the thoughts of others. If you ever need an out-of-the-box, no-question-about-it-its-unique opinion on an issue, ask me. I CAN deliver... Most usually I over think things and end up with a crazy over the line answer to my problems... this only stresses me and the people around me out. The hardest thing for me to do is to just let myself chill out and not worry about things. I see other people do this at school and places, true most of them have like D's and F's in classes, but they don't even worry about that! Some people can be successful and never try hard... I am not one of these people. For an almost Seventeen year old girl, you would think that I would be less of a spazz than I am. Sometimes I really think that I am an old lady trapped in a teens body.  However, I have been training myself to be a little bit calmer. Aside from the important stuff where you have to be at least a little stressed or your not doing it right, like school, I am forcing myself to take a chill pill. Take last weekend: Our town was having a burnout. It was loyalty day. For those of you who don't know what loyalty day or a burnout are let me explain. Loyalty Day is where all the country folk in the small town of Westville get together, set up booths and stands and sell various items, for instance, our church set up a grill and a couple of ice chests and sold pop, burgers, and hot dogs ( raising money for camp). Then all the guys and a select few girls get their trucks and vintage cars with nice rims and destroy their tires and drive like maniacs to impress their potential mates and\or to make other dudes jealous (this is the burn out part).
I was set up with my church, making change and keeping track of the money. It was awesome, I got to sit there with a big bag of money, pretend I was rich, and I didn't have to leave my lawn chair. I had a Pepsi and a hot dog... I was a happy girl. Then I realize I hadn't seen my little brother. I shouldn't say little, he's fourteen and going on six feet. Not quite there yet. Anyway, earlier that day he had stalked off with his band friends near the front door of the school to get his saxophone and walk to the community center for the parade portion of Loyalty Day (he was marching). I assumed that he would find our booth after marching and help us (he had to raise money for camp as well). He did not do this. As if this wasn't enough, I realized , with a start, that his cell phone was at home charging next to the T.V... He didn't have my dads new phone number memorized. At this point I was on the verge of hyperventilating.
Several explanations as to where he could be floated into my mind:

1. He has been kidnapped, and like the main character in my new favorite T.V show Awake, I will have to use clues from my dreams to find his location. I will also have to purchase a gun and learn how to shoot because the perpetrator must be delt with.
2. He is out behind the school kissing some girl... (I will also need a gun for this one).
3. He has found a way to contact my dad and is now safe at home in his bed, playing bloody video games and fighting dragons... (this is the least likely)...

Just before I had decided to go to walmart and get a gun, then google how to use it, I saw his best friend walking down the street in the crowd of people, his sister at his side. They were eating funnel cake and laughing about something. Then it hit me. Why isn't Lawrence (my brother) with him? If Lawrence were going to hang out with someone at the parade\burnout it would be this kid. So, of course, I yell at Jesse (the friend) to come over to my booth. My best friend Krista looks at me like I am crazy... this is probably true. I have often considered that my quirkiness is more than that... topic for another day.
I should tell you that I had never met this Jesse kid before this moment. I just knew who he was because Lawrence pointed him out at school. As his head turns to see whose yelling at him the kid spots me and looks at me like I have grown a third head and reluctantly, with a tight grip on his sisters arm, walks slowly toward the crazy lady in the lawn chair.
Once he is a safe ten yards away from my chair, far enough away that he can run if I attack but close enough that he can hear me talk at a normal human volume, he says, "Yeah?"
I respond with a breathless, stress filled, "Wheres Lawrence?"
"I don't know, I guess he went home."
This was not good enough for me. "You guess? Did you see him go home?"
"The last time I saw him he was getting in the car." My heart stopped. I was trying to remember walmarts number for my gun purchase.
"What car?"
At this point, Jesse sighs, so much for my first impression. "Your car. He slid the front seat by your dad, so I'm gonna guess it was your car." His words dripped with sarcasm. I didn't like this kid... he was rude. However despite my irritation with Mr. Snot bag relief flooded through me. I thanked Jesse and he almost ran with his sister in tow... So see? I'm getting better... I never would have been that calm in that situation before I decided to chill....
                                                                           -KC-