Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Midnight quickie

Haaaa, made you look! 

So mature of me.  

We had quite a busy day today.  I was home, all day, for maybe an hour.  Here, there, everywhere--I need a clone.

One of my tasks was taking the boys to get their haircut.  Mr W has been taking care of Ben and Ryan's since they prefer to sport a nearly bald shortness, just like Dad.  But Dad has been really busy lately, and since I was taking Nolan in already, I figured might as well take care of all of them. 

Woohoo, not a wait at all, maybe five minutes.

We'd finished up and were heading out to the van.  As I turned to open the doors, there was a young man standing next to the van parked next to mine.

He graciously said, "Go ahead."  I was pleased about this, because parking lot etiquette, or the lack thereof, makes me crazy.  People don't care that you are strapping kids into carseats, they just want the spot next to you.  No, don't mind me as I bump your butt with my car door.  I hate it, and you'd think other parents would understand, hey, she's got a stroller, but noooo, it's all about 'me first, me first.'

Anyway.  He struck up a little conversation with me, not anything too weird, just along the lines of normal "take your time, don't worry about it" niceties.  Asked if they'd gotten their haircut; lots of "that's cool" and "have a nice day." 

I got into my seat, and he got into his van.  Hmm.  I'd assumed he was driving off or something, but he sat in the passenger side.  I thought he was waiting to go past me into the Subway right in front of me, but no.  He didn't invade my space or anything like that, and I'd gotten everyone into the van fairly quickly, so I was shrugging it off when I hear a chorus of voices:

"Who was that?" "Who was  that stranger?" "Did you know him?"  "Why were you talking to him?"  "Don't you know about 'stranger danger'?"  "Yeah, you tell us not to talk to strangers.."

"Chill, boys.  He was just waiting for us to get into the van.  He was just being courteous so I could get Audrey strapped in."

"Mo-oom.  We don't like it when you do that,"  chimes Ben.

"Yeah, he was a stranger," Ryan weighs in.

Sigh.  Great.  Now I'm feeling nervous.  Lock my doors.

"Mo-om.  He liked you,"  Nolan says..

"Oh, he did not, Nolan."  I suppress a giggle.  "I hardly think a chubby Mom with four kids is parking-lot-pick-up material, mijo."

"Well, then why did he keep talking to you?"

"I don't know."

Meet Nolan, my chaperone.

I still don't think he was doing anything except the idle chatter of someone that's thinking "Hurry up, lady."

But as I drove away, I caught myself turn my head so Nolan couldn't see me smile.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is too funny.  My son was the same way.  One day,when he was in the sixth grade,  we went to Taco Bell after school, and I sat down before he did.  The man sitting next to me smiled and struck up a conversation.  Kevin  immediately picked up on this, and made a beeline over. First thing he says? ... and quite loudly, is  : " What time is DAD getting home tonight, Mom? "  My little watchdog !  Tina http://journals.aol.com/onemoretina/Ridealongwithme

Anonymous said...

Lol - Your kids are very cute..and so male! Their protective instincts already bursting forth to protect precious Mommy.

So what's the real story, did he LIKE you or what?

Tilly x

Anonymous said...

Oh I see how it is, picking up men in the parking lot now, lol, j/k.


Denielle

Anonymous said...

OHHH - pickin up men in the parking lot........ I'm tellin'!  ROFL - oh wait, the kids probably already covered that telling thing, right?!!

Anonymous said...

 Hi i have just come across your site, and i must say im still going through your journal you are a excellent writer,every entry i have seen has brought a smile and a chuckle to me, your family are lucky to have a mum like you.i hope you dont mind me adding this comment but i had to say something,you have a brilliant gift, thanks for sharing.
kind regards, katie.

Anonymous said...

Woo Hoo... Is that the new place to pick up men?? I'm so behind the times. First it was bars, then church, then the grocery store... Now we just do it in the Parking Lot! <ROFL>
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind
http://adventuresofaneclecticmind.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

LOL at Nolan....

Hmm, I think I'm going
to have to stalk out the
cute guys in the parking
lots now ;)

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

~Jennifer~

Anonymous said...

Right, Anna. Don't do what I do, do what I say....

That being said, let me tell my little stranger talk time too! My daughter was maybe 7 and we had lunch at McDonalds. The kid's meal had a little toy car that you roll backwards, and then it would go forwards on its own. Child is mechanically inclined, and was quite interested in this little car. She was focused and quiet, which gave me a chance to look around at the people near me. I have always been on the alert for predators.

Next to us were two men, watching intently. Almost drooling, actually, at my daughter. They were focused. I noticed they were both trying to not be obvious, but were failing. I looked at them - short hair, short sleeve button shirts, khaki pants. I then spoke to them. "You want to play with the car, don't you?"

They broke out in the biggest embarrassed grins you ever saw. Gotta love engineers. They got to play with the car.

I taught child that talking to strangers depends a lot on where you are, who you are with, and who else is around.

xoxo

Anonymous said...

My kids would have told me they were gonna tell their Dad that I was flirting in the parking lot. Unless I took them to Chuckie Cheese, of course. Little blackmailers. LOL
***Monica

Anonymous said...

you are such a dork!  :-)

Anonymous said...

You flirt, you.  Hahahaha... I know us mom's with a bunch of kids in tow are always so attractive to guys.... funny stuff!
Happy Thanksgiving : )
Trace~

Anonymous said...

Oh, it's so much better when they tell on you to your husband!  Like you're out there trying to pick up the locals in the parking lot with the kids in tow.  

Too funny!  ~Peachy

Anonymous said...

Your journal is so much fun to read!  I look forward to each new entry...you always make a giggle surface!  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving  :)

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...I have to agree with the kids.  Sounds like Mr. Parking Lot may have a crush on you!!!  Ahhhh...

<grin>

XO,
bridgett