Bit O’Backstory 1 — I run the hubby’s business from my office. The house phone is white, the business phone is black. (I wanted red, but they felt I’d be tyrannical enough as office manager without a red phone.) It was immediately dubbed The Batphone.

Bit O’Backstory 2 — One day I picked the short kid up from school and he asked where Dad worked. I tried to explain to him that Dad doesn’t have a set place that he works.

Me: He works all over. People have problems and they call him and he goes and fixes it.

Eavesdropping Mom: Cool! Your dad’s Batman!

So…

Yesterday was fairly nice, so the short kid and I headed off in the Mustang to pick up the tall kid from school. The pick-up line is pretty long and we got there a bit early. Since the car doesn’t have AC anyway, I shut it off. Well, she didn’t start back up. We pushed her off to the side and collected the tall kid on foot much to his embarrassment. (He was not swayed by the argument that even being pushed, she’s the coolest car there.)

I whipped out the cell and called hubby. He was en route from one job to another meeting and wasn’t going to arrive for at least 45 mins. (The school has a great playground, luckily.) This was sort of okay, although I had to pee and hadn’t gone since I’d be home in 15 minutes. Right after I decided I’d head for the playground portapotty (blech) a truck pulled in and took it away. That was even more discouraging than the car not starting.

Short kid: Is Daddy coming?

Me: He can’t come quite yet. He’s pretty busy.

Short kid: But…but…but…he’s Batman!

Parents are such a disappointment sometimes. (Two hours later we towed her home with a tow-strap, got her into the driveway and she started up. )