It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child and in our family we call upon the village every day to help us make it through the day.
In my quest to keep our son out of aftercare we enlisted the help of our village...unselfish & giving family members who take turns picking him up at 2:45 pm each day.
It has been a successful but we know often taxing effort for the past several years until yesterday when I received a call that our village had failed....
Failed to pick up our first born that is.
The call went something like this...
The time: 6:02 pm The place: in line for mashed potatoes for Second Born at Popeye's
"Mrs. Mathas, this is Kim from LRSH, just checking to see who was picking up Cole today as he is the last child here?"
Mrs. Mathas: "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTT...." (much screaming to strangers surrounding me follows...second born dazed and confused in the back seat of the car)
As I screeched out of the fast food line trying to wrap my head around what had happened, was our village ok today...was there an accident...they could not have forgotten...
BUT THEY DID.
OK...so I am sure you are thinking what's the big deal...so he got to play in the school yard with his friends for a few hours...how bad can that be?
Well, we didn't get THAT kid. ANY change in his schedule completely freaks him out. If we take a different route to school this can cause an uproar so THIS was going to be a BIG deal.
As I raced to pick him up, thoughts raced faster in my head swirling with the plan of everything from my reaction when I would see him to what I would tell him...the truth or a tale?
I couldn't bear telling them that he was FORGOTTEN...I mean how do you FORGET a child? With visions of him sitting alone and crying feeling abandoned and cold out on a corner, I quickly pulled up to the school and put my best happy face on to greet him.
With a smile on his face and a quick kiss hello there were no immediate signs of scars or tears.
I decided to tell him that his C&D had an appointment that lasted way too long and they called me to come pick him up instead. He seemed ok with that and quickly got into the car to head home.
By this time second born is eating her foot she is so hungry and then the questions and comments begin."Mommy I was really sad when you left me in the school yard today...you left me for 72 years!!!"
There would be no throwing anyone under the bus today. My fate was already sealed.
In his eyes I was THE ONE who forgot him.
It SUCKS to be THIS Mommy.
It sure does suck...but - unfortnately, we have all been "that mommy" at one time or another - it's called being human! You, he and everyone will all be ok. He will probably remind you a decade from now about it (I know from experience some "things" the girls still talk about today - that I wish they would have forgotten - but they laugh anyway.....
ReplyDeleteKellie -- Many years ago I was at home getting ready for dinner. "Billy" was at a friend's house and our youngest "Joe-Joe" was at soccer practice. The door opened and in walked Joe, sweaty, disheveled, school bag (heavy) tied around his waist. "What happened" he asked. I drew a blank until I realized I'd forgotten to pick him up from soccer practice. Oh, you say...the walk probably did him good. Except, the walk was about three miles, in 92 degree weather and he had to cross two busy highways, similar to Airline Highway. He could see how back I felt and added.. "oh don't worry Mom. I saw a hairdresser shop and went in because I knew they'd feel sorry for a little kid and give me a glass of water." Joe survived, as they all do. But that chip in our heart we lose with events like this never heals. Love, William's grandmother Katee
ReplyDelete...by the way...little "Joe Joe" was only six years old!!
ReplyDeletethanks Katee! Your children AND grandchildren are a bit on the special side though! I am praying some of it may rub off when we move next door xoxoxo
ReplyDelete