The Cadillac Test

When my sister and I were were very young, Mama Lai would ask us:

"How much does Mommy love you?"

And, unabashedly confident in Mama Lai's love for us, our sibling rivalry would have us try to outdo each other in our answer: "as much as the Ocean", or "beyond the whole wide universe."  Eventually Mama Lai would turn the tables and test her two daughters' love for their mother:

"When you grow up, will you buy mommy a Cadillac?"

Mama Lai recalled that no matter how many times she would ask me, my answer would always be "yes", but I would always come back to her, sometimes in tears, worried that Cadillacs were very expensive and that I would never be afford to buy her one. 

When Duckie, my sister, became old enough for Mama Lai's Cadillac Test her very first answer put an end to it:

"Sure I will buy you one.  And then we can put it over the fireplace."

Mama Lai mused:

"You were always so sweet, but so serious. So silly.  Your sister was so young, but so clever.  My two different girls -- from my same tummy!"