I was learning to drive.  I had just finished Drivers Ed but I needed more hours on the road before I could test for my license.  The plans for that summer had been for my younger sister to fly out to California to stay a week with our Grandmother at the same time our Aunt and cousins were visiting.  I never really knew why only one of us was to go out, but since I needed road time and my Dad hadn't visited with his sister in ages he planned a road trip with us all.  He hammered out all the details with Aunt Mary but never told his mother that the plans had changed.

Well we had a great time on the road; I learned how to pace traffic and to drive at night.  We all argued over the music, and how often I wanted to stop at road side attractions, it was fun.  We arrived in California a week before my sister would have arrived by air, to get the most of my Aunt's visit.  Dad had me pull past the house and had my sister walk to the door by herself.  She had a line Dad had given her, that she had been practising since we crossed the Bay Bridge “Grandmother why did you forget to pick me up at the airport?” luckily her trying not to laugh face looked like she might be on the verge of tears.  We had pulled around and were hiding in the driveway as she hit the door and delivered her line. 

Did my Grandmother sweep the little girl into her arms cover her with kisses saying I'm so sorry you poor thing?  Nope not my Grandmother, she rushed into the house leaving my sister standing there on the porch, crying "Your parents told me the wrong date I've got it written down".  Her first thought was to push the guilt off on someone else than to comfort the child, telling isn't it? 

We burst around the corner yelling “Surprise” just as she got back to the door with the flight information my folks had given her.  All the Aunts and Uncles who knew we were coming were all laughing at the joke, came outside to deliver hugs and kisses, but she was furious, and just turned and walked back into the house.

We had a great visit with everyone despite the fact that my Grandmother had developed a sudden limp (the kind that only exist when people are watching), and couldn't go anywhere with us.  She was just in too much pain.  I still resent that she couldn't enjoy that we were all there, just because we played a little joke.  Those two weeks were very educational and not just behind the wheel, I learned what kind of a woman my Grandmother really was.

The next incident was years later relayed to us by my Uncle.  My Grandfather was blinded in WWII, but he still loved to tinker with things.  He had an old radio that he had taken completely apart, for as long as I can remember he would sit at the kitchen table trying to put it back together by feel.  Anyway Grandmother had gotten a brand new TV; she had forbidden my Grandfather from touching it.  So while she was at her daily morning mass he spread out his tools, and sprinkled some radio parts around the television crawled behind the monstrous thing and waited for her to come home.

She lost her mind, ranting and raving at him.  Even when she found out he hadn't done anything.  I still think it is one of the funniest jokes of all time. 

She threw out all his tools and the radio he was always working on.