School is almost over, first walk alone to school

School is over tomorrow. They rescheduled the school party/picnic athletic events for today because it's going to storm Thursday. So, she's excited about the festivities. She already cleaned out her locker and brought home a 5 foot pile of crap that includes three winter coats and 4 lunch boxes. Are you kidding me? I have been asking about that stuff all Winter. She drives me nuts that way.

Here, she's starting out to walk to school alone for the very first time. You may think I'm overprotective, but, you don't know this kid. She has no, NO short term memory skills because of the Chiari and surgeries. I have to make lists for her for everything from homework signatures to water bottles, lunch, milk money, weather gear..you name it. She even forgets the lists. I have to keep on it all the time or the results would be a disaster. So, even though she really IS the smartest kid I have ever met, she does have her problems. That's why it's always better that she stayed with me during the school week. Her mom worked a lot this year. I didn't. I have time for the endless minutia.

Sorry to be so long, but, today I promised her she could walk to school. I went over the route with her several times and last night again. It's not far, about 9 blocks. One turn. It's all in Guntown. Turn on D street, I told her, a hundred times. "I KNOW" she said, all mad, like I'm the dumb ass. Look at her pissed off face.

So, there she goes. Carrying her lunch with the can of fruit punch she requested, on ice. Already mad as hell at me because I made her wear athletic shorts, tennis shoes and a nice, plain white T-shirt in her size. And a bra. A damn dinky sports bra. She had dressed herself in this crazy ass Goth (she thinks) outfit that was too tight, booty shorts (she borrowed from her teen age aunt) and a tiny semi suggestive skull tank. Oh, and studded black velvet flats. Are you nuts?  I said, no way. You are playing field games today, it's a picnic. She pitched a fit. But, I stood my ground. She said, "FINE, I'll just wear my Goth jacket all day and die of the heat and you'll miss me and feel like poop!! And it will all be your fault!!!" And I said, okay then. Glad we got that settled. So, there she goes. Turn on D street, I yell. I KNOW!!!! I can't help but think that I could have reminded her that I have to help her put her sassy, cut and torn 'Goth' jacket on every morning because she can't figure out where the armhole is because of the torn and frayed parts. Nope. I also just crossed the one sort of busy street with her. Just in case.

She had second thoughts here. She knows I do the things I do because I love her. No one else does the things that she needs. The everyday stuff that seems to go on forever. I do it. She turns around and waves at me. She smiles. I yell, 'D street!' She ignores me. She's right in front of Aunt Bitch Face's house there.

She keeps walking, but, I don't leave. I stand on the corner and keep watching. She knows it. She's playing it like she's a big kid and doesn't know who I am. Some crazy lady on a corner, so what? Nuthin' to do with me, I'm a bad ass Goth.

It's not long before she's a tiny semi Gothic black dot on the Guntown landscape. I still don't leave. I go back across the street and walk down a block after her. I hide behind some trees. I see her turn on C street. Are you kidding me? I shrug and go home. But..I get my purse and car keys and sit them beside me. I get a cup of coffee and wait. Sure enough, the door opens before I'm halfway through the cup and she says, sheepishly, "I got lost."

One turn and she got lost. I knew it. I've lived here, with her, since she was in pre-school at the same school. But, I know this kid. I said, you know, you would have gotten there if you'd kept going. But, I know what you were doing. You went down C street because you think that's where your buddy's babysitter's house is, didn't you? Yep. You thought you'd run into her and you could walk together, right? She hung her head. Then you got scared because that street curves and you didn't recognize anything, right? Yep. I sighed and said, we've been down that street, literally, a hundred times, you just can't remember because you never concentrate. (Too busy learning the words to Timber and Party Like A Rock Star. )

I also told her if she'd followed my instructions she WOULD have walked past her friend's babysitter's house. I am not a dumb ass. I knew where I was sending her. Geez. I got my keys and we got in the car and I drove her to D street and stopped. She looked at me all wide eyed. I said, "Get out and walk, you goofy Goth". She grinned like a clown on crack and jumped out of the car. I said, 'Straight down, got it?' Yep. Okay then. Miss Know It All. I drove off..but, around the block and spyed. Her buddy came out and joined her and off they went. Sort of like Dorothy, only no brick road. Just the hallowed streets of Guntown. Hey, at least there are sidewalks most of the way in that part of Guntown. How she'll get home is anybody's guess. I may have to send out a search party. I sure hope she remembers where she put her lunch.