I thought about entitling this post - "A Shitty Day" or "A Crappy Day" as yesterday was both. First, birds pooped on my car, not just once, but twice! I've gone for years without this happening. Is it supposed to be good luck if birds poop on your car instead of on you?
Okay, I have a weird sense of humor which you'll know if you've ever read any of my romantic comedies. I like to make people laugh about my stories as well as in real life. I guess I couldn't have done too bad on the comedy level as my book "American Beauty" (of course a comedy romance) was an Eppie award runner up in 2003 and is one of my all-time bestsellers (available at www.ellorascave.com, Amazon, B&N, Borders, Waldens - in print, too, at the brick and mortar stores - so now I've done my promo thing for the day.)
Unfortunately, yesterday, was not an amusing day overall.
I was at the pediatrician's office with #2 daughter (for a cold - no biggie, thankfully) when I got an emergency call from #1 daughter that #3 son had poured hot sauce in his eyes and was having a fit.
The reason this happened, is that #3 son (he's the ODD/ADHD 13 year old) was trying to use the hot sauce as a weapon against #1 daughter and it backfired and he got himself instead.
Supposedly, #2 daughter barged into #3 son's room without permission and he felt like he was being attacked. #3 son has paranoia issues and hates for anyone to enter his room. According to #2 daughter (24 years old) she'd merely knocked and asked to enter (she and #2 son had been charged by my hubby to move around furniture between the bedrooms and she had to get a piece out of #3 son's room) and when #3 son didn't respond, she opened the door.
WHY #3 son had hot sauce in his room or thought to use it as a weapon or felt "threatened" is still unclear. Let's just say that #3 son is grounded until he's 50 (years old).
Soooo I had to leave #2 daughter (she's 17) at the pediatrician's office and run home and get #3 son so the doctor could check out his eyes, too. I had queried and was told by the office to do this and to leave my daughter there as she's 17. When I got back to the office with him, I was told by another employee that it was lunch time and they wouldn't see him for another two hours. I was pissed. I had to become assertive (I'm getting practice, see?) just to be allowed to join my daughter. Then the woman didn't want me to take my son into the back and again, I had to get assertive when I told her that I wasn't going to leave a 13 year old alone. So they let us both into the back and then the nurse couldn't find my daughter. My ire rising, I asked, "You've lost my child?" I wasn't too concerned as she is 17, and yet, I was amazed at how inefficient the office was yesterday. Then the nurse said "I've been off-duty for fifteen minutes". At this point, I was getting really ticked. That was the wrong thing to say to me. I told her I appreciated that but that my time was valuable, too. I didn't add, that as a customer service rep, that was lousy customer service. I think she imagined I'd feel sorry for her. Instead, I was thinking she could care less about her job and would never advance into management with such a crappy attitude.
Finally, we found #2 daughter. When the doctor joined us, he was very cordial and concerned about the events and he saw my son right then and there and didn't charge me for #3 son's visit. Fortunately, #3 son is fine. No permanent damage resulted from his little escapade.
For Aisha who said she's learning a lot of good information here about children for future reference, I hope I'm not putting you off. Most of the time, the kids are a real blessing. #1 son and #3 son have been my biggest challenges by far.
Fortunately, #1 son is grown, married with children :), and CIO (Chief Information Officer) for his employer, so he's turned out great. In fact, he either forgets, or at least totally denies, that he himself was ever a problem child. I pray that I'll have the same success with #3 son. Wish me luck.
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