Commuter Drama

I have been in the car all day today, and it is only one o'clock.

This morning, before nine, I drive Scarlett to Bible School. Sosie is with us. It is beyond heavy lugging her around in her car seat, but I cannot send Scarlett inside alone. It is so hot that just being in the car for the five minutes it take for the cool air to start blowing from the vents leaves us sticky with sweat. There is a fine sheen of sweat over me, leaving me slick enough that I imagine if Scarlett tried to run and jump onto me, she would simply slide down my body like a piece of hair on a shower wall.

Sosie and I come home. I manage to vacuum and start folding yesterday's laundry when the phone rings. It is Michael. "Babe, is my wallet on the counter?" he asks.

I look. "Yes, it is." Pause. "Do you need me to bring it to you?"

"Yes."

Michael works on a military base. He cannot get to work without his photo I.D., and it is sitting on our counter. I put Sosie back in her clunky car seat, we drive to the front gates of the base, and we deliver his wallet. Then we turn right around and drive back home.

There is about an hour left to feed Sosie and watch a little TV before we must go back out again, this time to collect Scarlett from Bible School. When we get there, and I have huffed and puffed my way to her classroom, in the heat, carrying a giant, heavy car seat and a chub-chub baby? There is drama.

Scarlett, again, does not want to leave. She is sobbing over some kind of bean bag toy that she wants to keep playing with. I explain, again, about "toys for everyone" and the fact that we must leave the bean bag here. She can play with it again tomorrow.

Finally there is acceptance, and we walk to the car, uphill, in the baking sun, one hand clutching the car seat and the other clasping Scarlett's tiny hand. When I start to drive away? Scarlett bursts into fresh tears.

"But I want to go to Bible School!" Sigh.

"Honey, we have to go home now. Bible School is over. You can come back tomorrow."

This exact scene plays itself out three times before we get home. Three times in about fifteen minutes. I don't know what all they get up to at Bible School, but whatever it is? REALLY makes Scarlett tired.

Now we are home. I have about an hour to get us all ready to leave again. Sosie will go back in her car seat. We will all go back in the hot car. The girls will go to my sister's. I will go to work. And we will do most of this again tomorrow.