Sister, Sister: Sharing

Instead of toys, we now fight over electronics. When we shared a computer, there were intense debates over whose turn it was to play Oregon Trail, but now the fights stem from a small gadget: the iPod adapter cord.
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'Sister, Sister' is a recurring column about the adventures of real-life sisters Allison (17) and Natalie (15) from Kansas City, Missouri. You can also find them on DartNewsOnline.com, their official high school newspaper.

Almost every little kid learns the lesson of sharing early on in their life. There are books, TV shows and even preschool songs that teach us the importance of sharing our toys with other children. We've both learned the lesson, but why is it so hard, then, as sisters in high school, to share things with each other? We've talked about sharing a bathroom before, but now we get serious as we talk money, clothes, electronics and food.

Allison: Let me tell you what's annoying. It's paying for your sister and her friends' drinks at QuikTrip and never getting paid back, even though you extract a promise of repayment before you even buy the drinks. I've now said I will take them to QT, but they have to pay for their own stuff. Their response? "But we don't have our own money!!!!" said in a really annoying, whinny voice.

Natalie: Everything Allison said is true. However, most of the time she gives in to my pleas despite knowing I'm probably never going to pay her back. Although I have offered to buy her things from QT on other occasions, she always declines. Therefore, she forfeits the right to complain about me not paying her back. Sometimes I just need a 32 oz. Diet Dr. Pepper, but my own money isn't there for me. But Allison's money always is.

Allison: I'm not a fan of pop, or most foods that they sell in gas stations, so I am not going to let you pay me back by way of buying me stuff at QuikTrip. And I do often give in, but if I am such a nice sister, I think I deserve more praise from you!

Natalie: You must admit that I thank you extensively every time you buy me things. What else do I need to do to make you believe that I'm thankful? I already lend you my clothes (reluctantly). I even bought a dress last summer, and you went out a few days later to buy the same exact thing. It wasn't even a different color! I felt highly disrespected and betrayed by your actions.

Allison: The fact that I had to go out a buy an article of clothing that was the exact same, both in size and color, should speak to the fact that I knew you wouldn't let me borrow the dress. Two reasonable sisters should not have to own multiples of clothes because one won't let the other borrow theirs from time to time. I have never done anything to give you reason not to let me barrow your clothes.

Natalie: Did you even ask? No, you just assumed. However, you're probably right. I wouldn't want you to get all the credit for an awesome outfit that was my own creation. Selfish, I know, but you probably feel the same way, even if you don't want to admit it.

Allison: Now that we both have the dress, though, we have to do a "Who Wore It Best" competition.

Natalie: Sure, but we all already know who's going to win Miss I-wear-skinny-jeans-with-tennis-shoes.

Allison: In some circles, that is considered a good outfit, but I admit my mistake and have learned from it. Money and clothes are the main things we have trouble sharing nowadays, but I want to take a step back. Do you remember how you would never let me play with your Barbies?

Natalie: No, I just remember you never wanting to borrow them.

Allison: I didn't like Barbies enough to have any of my own, but occasionally I liked to play with them and you'd never let me.

Natalie: That's probably because I knew you would treat them poorly. This nightmare unfortunately came true. I had just gotten the flight attendant Barbie (yes, she came with her own plane). You had a fake toolbox (go figure) and took out your wrench. Before I knew it, my Barbie's head was no longer attached to her body.

Allison: I just want to clarify that I was indeed a little girl when I was younger. Natalie seems to choose the most unflattering (tomboy-ish) details to describe my younger years, yet they are almost always factual. In response to the allegation that I pulled off a Barbie's head, that is indeed true and a proud accomplishment of my youth, yet it didn't have the successful effect I intended it to. I thought it would teach Natalie to share with me or I would destroy the object not landed to me. It obviously didn't work as you can see from her reluctance to share clothes with me today.

Natalie: No, now you just know that if you ruin something of mine, you'll just have to go out and buy me another one (or, like in the case of the dress, give me the exact same thing that you bought after I did).

Allison: It's fair to say that instead of toys, we now fight over electronics. When we used to share a computer, there were intense debates over whose turn it was to play Oregon Trail, but now the fights stem from a seemingly small gadget: the iPod adapter cord.

Natalie: This wouldn't be a problem except for the fact that you lost your own and decided to claim mine. End of discussion.

Allison: Up to this point, I hope that the dear readers are on my side of this argument. Natalie is obviously a non-sharing tyrant, but if this next anecdote doesn't pit you against her, nothing will. When we were a lot younger and out to eat, both Natalie and I usually had a little bit of our meals left after deciding we were finished. If she wanted a leftover french fry from my plate, I graciously obliged. Me asking for a bite of her leftover food is a different story. Knowing she was done with her food, I would ask for a bite. She would say no, assumedly because she actually wasn't done with her meal and wanted to finish it herself. I could respect that. But then, the waitress would come up and ask Natalie if she was ready to have her plate taken away, to which she would always reply "yes." Natalie would rather give her food to a garbage bag than to me.

Natalie: You claim you "graciously" agreed to give your food to me. Lie. Flat-out lie. I'm sure you rolled your eyes and reluctantly handed them over. The part of me not giving you my leftover food is true. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I was a brat when I was younger (I like to think I no longer am). Just forget that stage of my life and move forward. Obviously not getting the last few bites of my macaroni at Outback Steakhouse didn't kill you.

We'd love to hear your stories about sharing things with your siblings by commenting below! We'd also like feedback about which of our blog topics you've liked and disliked. Ideas for future blogs are always appreciated as we hope to make this semester of Sister, Sister even better than the last. Until next time, see ya sistas.

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