The Day I Wasn't

Some days I’m a great Mom...some days I am not.

We rushed home – we are always rushing somewhere, I honestly don’t think I can remember what it's like to go somewhere without rushing – in a hurry to get to practice.  If we moved really fast, we would get there right on time. As we approached the house I told M “We’ve got to run in, get changed and GO!” 

When we pull up to the house there’s the neighborhood girl waiting in our driveway. Great, I thought.  M excitedly asked to talk to her. “Two seconds!” I barked. And then as I shut the car door I said again “Two seconds and then you get inside and get dressed!” I said the last two words very sharply, so she would know I meant business.

I ran in, ran to the bathroom and then ran upstairs to change clothes. I ran back downstairs calling ‘LET'S GO!” No response. I call for M. Nothing.  My house is empty.  I flew to the door, ready to let her have it because I knew she was still outside talking. I didn’t even wait to get the door all the way open before I began “M J (this is full name seriousness), I - ”

I stopped mid-sentence when I saw M standing by our neighbor. Not the kid neighbor, but the grown-up neighbor who lives right next door. He had his cell phone in his hand. As soon as I opened the door she ran to me with this excited, amused look on her face (the neighbor didn’t look so amused) shouting “Mom, you locked me out!”

I look over at the neighbor - the childless neighbor who I am sure will tell his wife over dinner what a horrible mother I am -  and smile apologetically. M continues “I kept banging on the door, but you wouldn’t answer…” I rushed her into the house before he could hear her say something else embarrassing. 

I had locked the door instinctively, not even realizing I had done it. We haven’t had a doorbell in years.  We bought a new, fancy doorbell when we moved in – it’s wireless and works on sensors. When M2 was an infant, someone else in our neighborhood got the same type of doorbell and our sensor picked it up. So every time they had a visitor, our doorbell would go off. The cute little “Please DO NOT Ring Doorbell, Baby Sleeping” sign I would put on our front door was useless. I yanked the batteries and we haven't used the doorbell since.

Then she says “I made a sign so someone could help me. I was holding it up to the cars as they drove by but no one stopped.  The neighbor saw it when he pulled up. He was getting ready to call you.  Good thing I know your phone number, huh?” 

I stifled my feeling of pride at her resourcefulness to concentrate on my feeling of mortification at my ineptitude.