Detective mom

Last week my oldest daughter came home and told me she didn’t have to be at school until 10:45. Apparently because the sophomores were having state testing, the upper classmen who had passed their state testing did not have to be at school until 10:45.

I didn’t have a problem believing her, I had a problem with the fact I found out Monday night. I had to deduce on my own that I probably had to drive her to school, therefore having to cancel my meeting at 10:00 on Tuesday. I was pretty sure buses weren’t going to drive around looking for random juniors and seniors who took the optional morning to sleep in.

So I took her to school by 10:45. Tuesday night rolled around and I said to her, “I suppose they don’t have another late arrival day for juniors and seniors?” She told me that indeed they did have another late start on Wednesday and also one for Thursday. My question is, why didn’t she just tell me about the other days on Monday night when she told me about Tuesday? Why must I be the Great Mom Detective to find out the things I need to know in order to make sure my family is where they need to be when they need to be there? Even more irritating is that my family does not seem to consider I may have other things to do besides re-plan my whole day around them.

It’s not just my kids. The other evening I went out to dinner with my husband and daughters. My husband mentioned he MIGHT have a car club meeting that night. I figured when we got home he’d look on his email and get back to me about whether or not he actually had a club meeting. So I promptly forgot all about it.

When we got home, I was in the bathroom when he decided to talk to me through the door (can’t a mom get a little peace?). He asked if I minded if he went to the wrecking yard. I didn’t; it was about 5:30pm. I figured if he left for the yard right then, he’d get there just before they closed and then adding time to stand around and shoot the breeze with the guys at the wrecking yard, he’d be home by 7:00pm.

And although my husband has never been a particularly timely guy, he does get up at 4:00am. So around about 8, I began wondering where he was. Then the memory of the casual mention of “might have a club meeting” drifted into my head.

Again, as I had to use my mother’s deduction skills to get the information about late start from my daughter this week, I had to figure out that my husband went to a club meeting on my own. It was never confirmed that he had a club meeting, he just didn’t come home.

There was nothing on TV that night so I just read until I fell asleep about 9:30. At 11:00, I woke up with a start and he was not in bed. I picked up the phone and was about to call his cell phone when I heard activity in the kitchen.

I opened the door and asked in my groggy, sleepy, bedheaded stupor why he was so late. He said, as he poured cereal into a bowl, “I took out the garbage.” I knew that because the garbage cans I had scooted in the path of the bedroom door so he would remember it was garbage night were empty.

What I really wanted to know was why he didn’t tell me he was not only going to the wrecking yard, but that he also had a club meeting. I decided I was too groggy to continue the conversation and I just went back to bed.

By my estimation my husband had about 4 1/2 hours of sleep. I figured that out all by myself.

Gretchen Leigh is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Covington. She is committed to writing about the humor amidst the chaos of a family. You can read more of her writing and her daily blog on her website livingwithgleigh.com.