Well I really did it this time. I managed to embarrass my daughter. And not the kind of embarrassment that is bestowed upon a young girl simply by the fact that her mother lives and breathes. I reigned actual, real-time, hard-core embarrassment on MiniMe. I ran late this morning and she missed the bus. I’m not sure she’ll ever be able to show her face at the bus stop again!
Now in my defense, the bus has been arriving about 10 minutes past its “scheduled” time all week long. So we approached the bus stop this morning at the same time we’ve been getting there all week, only this morning, and on a Friday no less, the bus arrives 5 minutes earlier than yesterday. We advanced on the bus stop just in time to see it pulling away. And no doubt MiniMe's friends saw the horrified look on her face as the bus left without her. She froze, her body stiffened and she looked back at me, then at the departing bus, then back at me and for a second I thought she might cry.
I quickly assured her that I would drive her to school and apologized for getting us to the stop too late. As we walked the long walk of shame back home to drive to school I said, “Well, that’s embarrassing. Now the other moms are going to think I’m the worst mom in the world because I didn’t get you to the bus stop on time.”
MiniMe retorted “What about me? I’m embarrassed more than you. All my friends are going to know I missed the bus!”
Touché!
However, this story does have a happy ending. I drove her to school and on the way there we started talking about her school’s upcoming talent show. MiniMe wants to be in the talent show and “put on a play.” She is forever dreaming up little skits and performing them for me or her dad with the neighborhood kids forced to take part. Her dad had already explained to her that one of her “skits” wouldn’t really be entertaining enough for the talent show and suggested (strongly) that she play the piano instead.
MiniMe was upset that, No. 1, her dad dissed her drama abilities as unworthy, and No.2 that he was “forcing her” to play piano. I assured her that no one would force her to be in the talent show and tried to be supportive of the piano idea. That only got me an eye roll.
Then, it happened. I redeemed myself! I suggested the most brilliant idea for her talent showcase (at least according to MiniMe.) She could teach the dog some tricks and the two of them could perform together. Her eyes sparkled and I could see the wheels turning in her head as she imagined all the unbelievable tricks she could teach our dog Scout.
Unfortunately, I did not know the talent show is next week. That dog isn’t learning anything in only a week.
But we concocted a plan to spend the next year teaching him a series of increasingly amazing dog tricks so that in her last year of elementary school she would stun the audience with her dog whisperer skills.
“You know Mom, I’m glad I missed the bus. If I hadn’t missed the bus, I wouldn’t have come up with this great idea for the talent show next year,” MiniMe said with a smile as she gathered up her things and headed off to class.
Whew! The day is saved. Except for Scout. The poor dog doesn’t know what he’s in for . . .
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