Was I supposed to dress up?
It’s 1:20 in the afternoon and I. Am. Alone.
Since my tall kid came home from middle school yesterday neither beaten up nor addicted to drugs, and my short kid is off to his first day of afternoon kindergarten, I am one happy mommy.
Not necessarily a good mommy, but a happy mommy.
The short kid and I pull up in the back of the school and there is a veritable herd of parents and short kids gathered around the door. Okay…so the open the door and throw the kid out approach doesn’t work on the first day. I can deal with that. After parking the ginormous truck amidst the ginormous SUVs and minivans all crammed into lines drawn for compact cars, I dutifully walk him to the front door.
OMG. There are frilly dresses and button down shirts and shiny leather shoes. Cameras going off everywhere. Kids sniffling, moms sniffling. After many WTF looks between my seasoned short kid and I, I realized this was the first day of school ever for most of the kids/mommies. It was A. Big. Day.
My kid’s in shorts, sneakers and a bright yellow t-shirt that says “I’M WITH THE CIRCUS” (although I did wash his lunch off his face). No camera. No nothing. Because of his now-conquered speech delay, he’s already been going to school there for almost three years. I realized, unfortunately belatedly, that this was, in fact, A. Big. Day.
So when I pick him up, I’ll take the camera and make him pose as if he’s going in to the building instead of out.
But for right now, until 2:27, I’m ALONE! And where was I between 12:40 and now? I did what any woman does who hasn’t been alone since the beginning of June would do…
I went to STAPLES!!! 
August 31st, 2006 at 3:29 pm
huh. i would have thought Dunkin Donuts would have been your first stop. followed by home to run around your house screaming “I’m Alone! I’m Alone! I’m ALONE!!!!!”
Hey, you and the short kid did good. Can already visualize the look on his face, too.
August 31st, 2006 at 5:21 pm
LOL, DH and I kinda felt out of the loop when the oldest graduated. All the other parents where in tears and we were like “Let’s celebrate!”
September 1st, 2006 at 9:47 am
ROFL Shan!
September 1st, 2006 at 12:17 pm
God, I’ve give anything to be alone. Or at least, to be LEFT alone.
Yes, youngest is in school, but two of the older ones are still here and/or back and while one is in college, they are both currently unemployed, hence underfoot way too much. 
I’m thinking cabin up in the mountains. One with electricity and indoor plumbing, of course. My idea of seclusion does not include roughing it.
But alas, ain’t gonna happen, so me with my laptop in the corner of the bedroom will have to do.