U Should B Sleeping

Once again, Night Guy screws Morning Guy...

***

It's been a good day, it really has. Oh, the kids tried to drive us nuts for a while... if THEBOY looks at THEGIRL wrong, she'll screech her displeasure. He knows it too. So who gets in trouble when that grey area crap results in random screeching?

Everyone! Knock it off you two!

***

We had a date. Our babysitter threatened to lock the doors and not allow us back in until at least midnight.

We tried.

We finally hit Carrabba's for some good food, finally got a chance to spend that gift card we got at Christmas. I had scallops and zucchini. Damn good stuff. Kelli had veal, I think.

The coffee was bitter. That was the only disappointing part.

***

There's not a single movie we want to see, so we hit Barnes and Noble to do some leisurely shopping.

Ever fake something and pull it off so smoothly you actually got away with it?

I passed a young clerk with blonde hair as I wandered around, trying to find a copy of the DSM-IV. I started to NOT ask her for help. But a few steps later I turned around to see her looking at me. I took a breath and prepared to speak.

"I remember you," she said. "I used to babysit for you!" In an instant I turned my "oh kind stranger could you help me find this book" into "I KNEW I recognized you!" (when I actually had done no such thing).

But we've had so few babysitters that it wasn't hard to pin down the name. "Laura?" Nope, that's her older sister who also used to babysit for us.

"Then it's Sarah!"

Yes yes, good old (well, young) Sarah. A senior in high school now, taller, not so child-like in appearance anymore. Caught me up on her folks (opening a new shop these days), her sister (getting married), her future plans (well, none). And I rolled with it like I'd MEANT to stop her there and catch up with her, since that's what you'd DO with someone you recognize.

***

Smooooth.

She didn't have the DSM-IV in stock though.

***

We spent too much on books, but that's okay. I got one about understanding and treating prescription pain medication addiction. Dr. Drew Pinsky wrote the first chapter, and it's a grim portrait. I'll save that sort of stuff for another time.

***

It was all of 10pm, and we were tired and wanted to go home. We learned via text message that the kids (THEBOY and his guest, at least) weren't in bed yet. BZZT. I didn't want to go home for more kid chicanery. I'd had my fill for the day.

So we hit Starbucks. Kelli read on a mystery novel, and I read about opium derivatives and how they provide a sense of being nurtured to the traumatized... hush now, BB...

***

Heather shared the most amazing story with us... I hope she'll write it down herself, and maybe allow me to post it here.

But check this out: She's been receiving voicemails from her father for 10 weeks. He died last June.

***

Her cellphone beeps, she checks in, and it's standard stuff: You coming by today? Bring some Dr. Pepper...

No otherworldly stuff. I'm not reading anything into it. The emotional impact of hearing such a thing though... I can barely grasp that.

She recently received 48 of them in one day.

***

Tired... very tired.