Ding Dong

Growing up, Alaina and I shared a room. I can still remember our light brown bunk beds. You could trace the knots in the wood with your finger. I’m not sure if I always slept on the top bunk, but I’m sure I did for at least awhile. If my memory serves me right, we started “Ding Dong” close to twenty years ago.

Sometimes it took us awhile to fall asleep (this may have been due to the 7:30 bedtime we had. Yes. 7:30. Another blog for another day.). We must have gotten tired of asking, “Are you still awake?,” so we devised a little method of asking and telling how close to sleep you were. “Ding Dong” was born.

The person—wanting to know if the other sister were still awake—would make say “Ding dong” (just like a doorbell might sound).

The other sister—in reply—had two options. If she were still awake, and welcome to conversation, she would say, “Ding ding.” If she were close to sleep and didn’t want to be disturbed, she could say, “Dong,” in a really low voice. Conversation would cease after that.

It may seem like a really easy, simple thing that would eventually fade in time, but surprisingly, “Ding Dong” has spanned the years. Though we haven't lived together in quite some time, it isn’t alltogether uncommon for either of us to call “Ding Dong” during the night—even fifteen years later. We’re both college-educated and moving on with our lives—but Ding Dings and Dongs can still be heard every once in awhile.