Set the scene:
It is 8:10 a.m. on the last day of summer school. Mom is rushing around frantically trying to get all four boys out the door to make it to the middle school by 8:30 a.m. She hasn't had a chance to brush her teeth or even eat breakfast.
One boy walks out with his shoes untied and promptly gets a scolding. One boy forgets his guitar and Mom rolls her eyes.
Five minutes later they are on the road - whew. They actually make it to the school on time and Mom decides she will make a quick trip to the Wal-Mart across the street to pick up of all things: blue metallic spray paint for the go cart Dad bought "for the boys."
She unloads the younger two out of the van, wrinkling her nose at the smell coming from the youngest one - something a bit off - like a dirty dish rag. She scans him up and down, realizing that she wasn't quite thinking when she dressed him in faded navy shorts and a black and red t-shirt with a very stretched-out collar and a tag that insists on sticking out. He has smudges on his nose and won't let her wipe them off.
His older brother jumps out of the van and she nearly calls the whole trip off. It is nearing 80 degrees already and he has jogging pants on with dirt-caked sandals, bed head and a t-shirt older brother made on a camping trip four years ago. She questions his choice of clothing, but he shrugs it off - being warm doesn't bother a five-year-old.
As they near the automatic doors at the store's entrance, she catches her reflection in the glass - she has made an appearance in public with her t-shirt on inside-out.
What to do? Turn around? Naw, we've already come this far. Walk around like an idiot? Too late for that. A flash of inspiration hits her - she walks into the women's bathroom (unoccupied this early in the morning), strips off her shirt, turns it right side out, back on it goes and the shopping trip proceeds as if nothing out-of-the-ordinary has happened.
Only you know the truth.
No comments:
Post a Comment