Was that head-gear or a back brace she was wearing?

My little sister will be leaving early this morning to travel from Savannah to Pennsylvania so she can meet her boyfriend's family. Which is unbelievable. For two reasons:

First of all, she has been dating this guy for less than three months. And two of those months he hasn't been in Savannah. Not that I am a expert on relationships, but isn't this the kind of thing you do before you move in with someone or get engaged or have a baby? In other words, it seems a little quick. Really quick when you factor in the $200+ her supposed "completely broke" ass had to shell out for the plane ticket. When you need to borrow some cash to help pay your water bill, you should not be spending large wads of cash on the unnecessary. She has always been a dating machine, but never the kind of girl I would except someone would fly in to meet momma. That being said...

The other has absolutely nothing to do with my sister and everything to do with me. Never more than right now do I feel like Joan Cusack in "Sixteen Candles" (or was it "Pretty in Pink"?)-- feeling completely unattractive just wanting a little water from the fountain without having any luck. My best friend is (and rightfully so) currently involved in her own male dating saga. I being currently (and seemingly perpetually) single have no significant other to gossip with her about. All our talks tend to be extremely one-sided because I juts don't have anything I can add. I suppose when she is done talking about her boyfriend I can discuss the upcoming movies of Jake Gyllenhaal, but it's not really the same thing, is it?

In my memory the last time I was formally introduced to a guy's parents, I was in ninth grade (I should say his father since I knew both him and his mother since kindergarten). And that shouldn't really count since he turned out to be gay, so who knows what the dear was thinking as he introduced us. I could have been his alibi (sure, you laugh now, but I'm from a very small Southern town and his parents weren't that open-minded). So, not counting that guy, the last time I was introduced to a male-person's parents was... I'm not going to lie. I can't remember.

Even my mother revealed to my sister (before my sister got angry and hung-up the phone because my mother didn't remember to tell her to bring a gift to the parents) that she never thought Hallie would meet someone's parents before I met someone's parents. But there's still time for me. Rub it in mom, rub it in.

I do wish my sister luck. I hope she is pleasant, thoughtful, and thankful. I hope she's everything to his family that she's (usually) not to us.