There is a girl named Alice who is the same age as Horse. She lives about one block out of our way when we are returning home from school. Honestly, when we are already walking three-quarters of a mile to get home, one more block is not that big of a deal. So when her single-parent father asks if I can walk Alice home from school on days when he has to work, I try to be accommodating.
I do make exceptions for days when the kidlets or I have appointments after school or if they are sick with anything pertaining to their digestive tract. So when Alice's father sent me a text message to ask if I could walk her home today, I had to say no. Rooster was home from school today, and will be home tomorrow, due to a sudden attack of diarrhea. With Rooster, even if it is not viral, it can still hit her hard and I will have no idea whether I will be able to pick up my own kidlets, let alone someone else's.
Heck, this morning we had to knock on a friend's door on our walk to school so that Rooster could use her bathroom after she got hit with whatever bowled her over today. That friend took Horse to school for me, and as soon as I was able to get Rooster out of my friend's door again, I passed Pig Jr. off onto a preschool parent that I trusted so I could rush back home with my miserable daughter. If she got hit with another round of misery at pickup time, I would have to call around to see who could pick up Horse and Pig Jr. for me. Therefore, saying no to Alice's father was really my only possible answer under the circumstances.
Alice's father was surprised that I said no. I am not sure if he was confused because he is not used to figuring out logistics of pickup duty when multiple kidlets are involved, since Alice is essentially an only child. Perhaps he was confused because Alice, most of the time, is incredibly healthy and he is not used to a kidlet getting hit with multiple digestive tract woes over the course of one month's time. (Welcome to life with Rooster...) Regardless, he was perplexed.
Thankfully, Rooster's last bout of illness finished up around nine in the morning. This is just late enough that she needs to stay home tomorrow so that she is symptom free for a full twenty-four hours. I was wise enough to drive for pickup this afternoon, just in case. Alice's father saw us waiting to pick up Horse, and he came over to inquire about Rooster's health.
After Alice and her father walked away from us, Alice came running back to me. I was startled, not having expected to see her again until the next day I am asked to walk her home from school. She held out a ten-dollar bill and told me her father had forgotten to give me that for walking her home so many times. I thanked her, but told her that was unnecessary. Alice's father walked back to me and asked if I was positive. I told him I was. I did not want his money.
Honestly, if I accept money as payment for walking his daughter home, then I feel obligated to do it even when I should say no. Those times where a kidlet of mine is sick, I just want to get everyone home quickly, without having to worry about a stop on the way. If I am sick or headachy, I do not wish to have to argue with a kidlet who would rather clown around with my three than go into her empty apartment with just her babysitter neighbor for company. If I take his money, I would have an obligation where I do not wish one to exist.
Besides, it's a bit insulting to know that the time I took to walk Alice home almost every day over the past two months is only worth ten bucks.
No comments:
Post a Comment