School Busing

I had the enviable task of accompanying the FBR to her morning bus stop along with my Favorite Panamanian and my Favorite Daughter. The FBR has followed in the infamous footsteps of her mother when it comes to 1. Falling asleep at night and 2. Getting up in the morning. Listening to this dual struggle over the past couple days has brought back so many memories of my daughter at the same age and I know she’s sick of seeing us laugh at her predicament but it’s hard to resist after going through the same gyrations thirty years ago. If I was a cruel person I would say some sort of karma is involved.

Heading to the Bus Stop

Once she is awake the FBR remains an absolute delight and reveled in explaining all about her bus ride and who she likes to sit with. After a very rough couple of weeks getting the bus schedule down, they seemed to have arrive at a fairly predictable pick-up time. This is the first year there is bussing of kids across town in Maplewood and this means the FBR spends nearly an hour on the bus each morning which she still thinks of as an adventure. The upside is that she is in the recognized best elementary school in the city. Part of the morning ritual, when I am involved apparently, is a shoulder ride to the bus stop. While she is geometrically bigger than when we started these rides I’m holding out as long as I can, figuring in too little time I will be unable to lift her over my head.

Waiting for the Bus

She only had a half day of school yesterday so we accompanied Wingman for the pickup. She spotted her abuela from across the parking lot and took off on a dead run for the obligatory FBR hug. She then took us on a tour of what she and Wingman call the secret playground. When we arrived home, we adjourned o the back yard for a game of shark and ball tag. My Favorite Panamanian and the FBR teamed up on yours truly to thoroughly dominate. In yet another episode of my mind writing checks that my body isn’t ready to cash, I made a less than elegant jump over my wife when she tumbled to the ground during the game of tag. The less graceful part took place when I tried to land and wrenched my bad knee pretty severely. That’s my lot in life as a senior citizen, injuring myself with a six inch jump.

Spotting her Abuela

After a few minutes of writhing I was back in the game although the ladies took it a little easier on me. Hearing the FBR’s delighted laugh as we played was worth a bit of physical discomfort. Following dinner, we all sat down to watch one of the few remaining Red Sox games in their surprising season. We could hear the furtive footsteps above our heads s the FBR continued her nightly battle with sleep. It was a fun night as we were eventually joined by my daughter and Wingman after their first parent-teacher conference, virtual, of course. We’re heading back north today but I got in one last shoulder ride to the bus stop this morning even though the knee was barking pretty loudly. As I stated above, I don’t know how many more of these I’ll be able to share with the FBR and I want to make the most of them.

The Secret Playground

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Pittsburgh College Roommate– high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn