Today when Becca walked in the door from school I could tell she was upset. She'd had a bad day, and I pulled her into the study so we could talk about it. We chatted. I preached. I told stories. She laughed. I was giving her some of my best mothering material. And then...
I looked down at my watch.
And noticed it was 3:25.
I normally leave to pick up Parker from school at 3:05.
When I say "pick him up," I mean that I ride my bike to the school and ride home with him. He knows if I'm late to start biking home, and I'll meet him on the trail. But I'm never late. Never more than a minute or two.
When I saw that my watch read 3:25, I started to panic. My mind was racing..."Well, he's probably almost home by now....except....it was so cold this morning....that we DIDN'T RIDE BIKES...SO HE'S WAITING AT THE SCHOOL FOR ME TO PICK HIM UP!!!!"
I pictured his forlorn little figure waiting all by himself. I screamed to Jordan. She agreed to jump on a bike and ride up to the school just in case he had started walking home. I raced to the car and then broke several state laws on the way to the school.
When I pulled up the school I scanned the grove of trees where I typically meet up with him. He wasn't there! But wait! There he was. At the edge. Leaning up against a tree. I tapped on the horn to let him know I was there.. He started to walk out to the car (which is forbidden at our school), but since it was late the teacher nearby just let him go. When he got in the car I started apologizing profusely, explaining how I'd got caught up with Becca and lost track of time.
He was pretty ho-hum about the whole thing (even though the principal questioned him personally regarding the where-abouts of his parents). He said he was considering walking home. Or that I'd simply gone to meet him on the other side of the school.
Then we came home and I let him have a sugary snack to make up for my tardiness.
I believe that's called "medicating with food."
I still have my mothering license, but it's becoming rather tattered.
So, what did you have to pay Jordan for her dash on the bike?
Posted by: Mary Theodosis | February 10, 2011 at 03:23 PM