As Erin and I were leaving my parent's house on Thursday to head home and reunite with Mommy after a 4 day separation (Laur had no vacation days left, so she had to return to New Jersey Sunday morning), we agreed to follow my parents to the "good" gas station in St. James (they were headed out on a road trip themselves, and like us, needed to gas up).
While their gasoline was pumping, my Mom came back to the Tercel and I rolled down the window. She inquired as to whether I would be alright getting back to the main road, because they still had to make another stop at King Kullen. I said I was fine, and she said good-bye to Erin one more time before she went back to the car. They paid, and were on their way.
"Dadoo, where are Long Gram and Long Gramp going?"
"They had to make a quick stop at King Kullen."
At this, Erin began to giggle uncontrollably. I shot her a quick glance, but couldn't see any obvious reason for the laughter. Somewhat perplexed, I asked, "What's so funny, Erin?"
She didn't answer right away as the giggle fit crescendoed, and after a sigh and a deep breath, Erin replied with a question of her own, "Dadoo, what's a King Kullen?"
"King Kullen is a supermarket, just like Jack's, Pathmark, or Shop-Rite," I answered, naming off all of the supermarkets within a short distance of where we live.
There was a silent moment, I guess as Erin processed the information. Then she said, "King Kullen's a pretty funny name for a supermarket, isn't it Dadoo?" She emphasized her point with a little harumph-like chuckle.
"Ummmm, OK... if you think so, Sweety" came my reply.
We drove on in silence for a couple of minutes, when suddenly I was startled (so much so that I nearly drove off the road) by Erin shouting at the top of her lungs,
"KING KULLEN!!!!!!!"
This was punctuated by another uncontrollable fit of laughter.
"DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!!" I proclaimed angrily.
Erin reluctantly agreed not to shout again. After another minute or so of silence, I heard her, in what can only be described as a whisper-shout, say "King Kullen" again, followed again by the same hysterics. This continued as we travelled 25A to Pulaski Rd, and on Pulaski all the way to Larkfield Rd. in East Northport. It was likely 20 minutes of the whisper-shout "King Kullen" and the ensuing hilarity.
Erin temporarily retired the King Kullen "joke" as we ate lunch at "Chef's of New York" in East Northport, and all the while as I drove her around my old stomping grounds in Huntington, Lloyd Harbor, and Cold Spring Harbor. But later on, as we rolled up the ramp on to the Verazzano Bridge, the "King Kullen" joke was back with a vengeance... and this time, she accompanied each cry of "King Kullen" by thrusting Pink Crayon straight up in the air. I never saw a child so entertained by the name of a store. That's my little girl!
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