Do you have something you regret from long ago that wasn't a big thing in and of itself, but is something you wish you could redo just the same? Does the memory of that event haunt you in some small way because it should have happened differently? You think maybe by running through it in your mind once more you'll be able to put it to rest?
I have one of those memories. It was at the end of the school day during junior high school one day. Normally, my mother would pick me up and take me home, but on this day, my mother had a meeting or some other commitment and she couldn't be there to pick me up. She worked at a college and she worked for the president of the college.
Given my age, my mother must have just started working with the president. I remember hearing about this story from my mother's perspective. She told me she couldn't find anyone to pick me up, and the president, overhearing her conversation offered to have his wife pick me up. When mom tells this story, she says she didn't know what to say and that she was uncomfortable accepting this kind offer, just because she wasn't able to find someone herself. But she did accept the offer.
So that afternoon, I knew the president's wife would be there to pick me up. I, too, felt a little awkward. Not because his wife--her name was Frankie--was unkind or aloof or any negative adjective I can think of. On the contrary, she was one of the most friendly, outgoing people you'd ever want to meet.
As I was walking up to the front of the building after the final bell, I say my next door neighbor. getting in the car with her mom. Her mother asked me if I had a ride home and I said I did, but I could go with her instead and save the other person the trouble. It was at that point that I saw Frankie.
And this is the part that kills me because I saw her smile--she had the best smile--and wave to me from across the parking lot. I believe I yelled over that I had a ride and thank you very much for the offer. And she with all the grace and poise she always had told me that was great and she would see me soon. Then I got in my friends car and left.
I was trying to save her the trouble, but that's wasn't the point and I realized it soon after. I should have accepted her offer, gotten in the car with her and been appreciative of her time to take me home. Just because she was the wife of my mother's boss made no difference. My attempt to be helpful by not incommoding her I think now, was more of an insult than anything.
Did she think it was so? From everything I learned about her as we became friends over the years to come, I don't think she thought a thing of it. She raised three children herself and any mother knows children don't usually mean to be hurtful. What does happen a lot is they're inconsiderate, usually due to youth.
Still, that big smile and wave that day sticks with me. I will always wish I had gone home with her and not my neighbor.
The Big Boy Update: "I need to go potty." This happens a lot lately, usually during a meal. He will look up, tell you he has to go potty and then repeat himself a second time. We don't mess around with these statements, he goes straight away. #progress
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: "Two daddys." She found daddy's business cards yesterday. She had one business card in each hand and was looking at the picture of daddy on each card. She came into the room, held up the cards and said, "two daddys."
Fitness Update: I went to the gym and then later this afternoon I tried out the fitness equipment at the clubhouse. It's nice. I hadn't done many of the exercises before because Don usually has us doing crazy things that are just as difficult, if not more so, while being twice as fun as a boring old machine.
Someone Once Said: All an artist can teach is technique. Creativity can’t be taught and each artist has his own sort.
No comments:
Post a Comment