Once Upon A Time

Harry - check the time on your blogspace. Maybe it needs to be corrected.

Today I have a story.

Grocery shopping with X and Gip, back in the day. After checking out and loading a full week's groceries into the carriage, X who was little more than 3 years old had attached herself to the front of the carriage to get a free ride through the parking lot to the car. The gipper was about six months old or so, big enough to sit in the space provided for that purpose by the carriage handle. This was before straps were also provided.

Leaving the store, I instinctively headed to the ramp which allows the carts to cross the area where the cars drive by the front of the store. Being of diminutive stature, I had to rely on instinct and years of practice, because I couldn't much see over my little boy in front of me. And that is how I missed the pothole in the roadway. As the carriage gained speed going down the ramp into the parking lot, it hit the pothole, and was wrenched out of my control.

The carriage turned over, tossing all contents, kids included, scattered on the pavement in front of the store. I hadn't even made it to the parking area. X and The Gip were okay, praise be. Physically, in any event. This may have been the first time X felt embarrassment. People came running from every direction to help, and there I was, trying to first make sure kids were okay, and out of danger's way from the passing cars. With one arm holding Gip, and other pulling X close to me, sobbing and angry, I was thanking the nice people and gathering my goods from the pavement.

Amazingly, other than a little broken dignity and bottle of juice, we came away from that accident unscathed. There are times when being a stay at home mother qualifies for hazardous duty....

Peace, and be careful out there...