Penguin Mothers at Banks

Monday I was in line at the bank. I was only 3rd in line, but it was moving slowly. At the head of the line was a young mother trying to keep her 4 year old daughter from tipping over the poles the hold the rope that keep us neatly in the right spots.

Bored and challenged as most children are in this kind of static situation, the little girl was looking around and spied me. She tugged on her mother's shirt and said in that faux whisper that children use,

"Mom, theres a little mother over there."

To which the mother replied,

"How do you know she is a mother?"

"She's a little mother"

"Yes, but how do you know she's a mother?"

"She looks the part"

I chuckled, wondering how little kids get so sophisticated anymore. And also wondered what it was about me that clued her intuitive little self to my parenthood.

***************************************
Gabe called me a few days ago.

Sean had just called maybe 15 minutes earlier and sort of got me a little distracted as he told me he doesn't know where his lisence is, and hasn't known for a long time. And he thinks the reason Subway is calling is because he left his social security card there. Do I know where his military ID is? He has an interview in an hour, needs to shower etc., and needs some sort of ID. Great. I told him I had given him his military ID, so didn't know where it is, and to look downstairs in Paul's files, that his passport was in there somewhere.

I was in the front office at work when Gabe's call came in, talking to the copier guy, and cringing at the loud nasally voice of the person who works in the front office, and had Sean on my mind. I answered the ring...

"Hello?"

"Hey, this is your son"

"Did you find your passport??"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

pause

ooops

"Gabe?"

"Yeah, who did you think I was?"

"Sean"

"Mom, you didn't even recognize me? Thats pretty bad"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear very well, and Sean is in crisis and I thought it was him"

"Mom, if I were a penguin, I'd be dead"

I busted up laughing. Yep, that split second that a penguin parent doesn't recognize it's chick could mean death. Good thing we weren't penguins then. He watches way too much nature/science shows. Nice quick come-back, Gabe. Impressive.

Gabe and I talk on the phone frequently, and under normal curcumstances I know who he is on the other end of the line. And that sounds sort of defensive, doesn't it?

*************************************

Peace