Murphy's Law

Well today officially sealed my fate as "The One that keeps Murphy's Law going".........

Wikipedia defines: Murphy's law is an adage that broadly states: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

As you all know I'm having some "issues" where kindergarten is concerned...Doos being away 6 plus hours a day, me not having control over who she interacts with, her making her own friends, her riding on bus being driven by someone I don't know.......these are just a few of my problems. Well today we were up on time, she got on the bus off she went (her 1st full day). I dropped Shaun off at Ms Robins and went to work......through out the day I was having mild anxiety....what is she doing now? who is she sitting with at lunch? how did art class go? was she having fun? did she want to come home?............all things I was able to handle. I even went to Aldi's on lunch and bought the babysitter a birthday present (they really do have the nicest flowers at the most reasonable price), no binoculars thru the Fricano Primary windows. I was PROUD! I'm a neurotic and paranoid mother who might just make it...........

At 3pm Todd is out of work I call him ..."you are on your way home? You need to be there BEFORE the bus!" I get the play by play of where he is at, as I dutiful try and time where her bus is........Finally he is safely parked in our driveway waiting for my baby to come home.....then the inevitable MURPHY'S LAW.........the bus blows right past him, doesn't even slow down, Mr Calm Cool and Collected ..."she rides the E bus right?" ...."Yup...E like elephant, I've been engraving this in her brain for two weeks now!"........."really, cause that bus just drove right past me" with no panic at all in his voice. .......................Not to worry though I LOST MY MIND!!!! "What? CHASE THE &$%$# thing!" Where is She?"....my mind going a million miles an hour.... she is not going to be the next Jacyee Dugard..................

So as he is stalking the bus, I call Ridge Road Express........they are not going to make it for customer service awards this year ( don't worry Wegman's you are safe) to think I entrust Princesss Baughman to their care! I get this very laid back woman on the phone.....I am slightly hysterical "My name is Rosanne Baughman my kindergartner Meghan Patrice Baughman was supposed to be on the E bus , E like elephant! And the bus just blew past our house it didn't even slow down, can you PLEASE tell me where she is?" Ms. I think this woman must be overreacting: "Hold Please" I then get the next Ridge Road we are very non concerned type person on the phone........I then explain the whole thing all over again a bit more frazzled! "Hold Please" then the dreaded DIAL TONE! These non caring idiots (who presently may or may not have my BABY) HUNG UP ON ME!

So now in complete full blown hysteria, I call back. Being the bill collector I am as I do this, I skip trace down the owner of Ridge Road Express; R. Tom Weeks, his wife Carol, his mother, brother and all their cell phone numbers. I get Ms. Laid Back again "Don't hang up on me, my five year old is missing, and You may or may not have something to do with it! Either put me on the phone with someone who can tell me where she is or I'm calling Mr. Weeks on his cell phone at 567-5555" This apparently got her attention, she didn't put me on hold she calmly states "There is a Sub on that run today" How is there a sub on day 4 of school? I really want to know this, but it won't help me locate my Meg-a Doo. So I let it go. She calls Ms. Sub..."Oh yeah, I'm kinda confused about where I'm supposed to be dropping and picking up, but I have her. I'll head back there at the end of my run 5 or 10 minutes." Thank Jesus! My Baby wasn't kidnapped. I'm not going to have to go on America's most wanted Friday........ she is just with a confused woman who can't read her drop off /pick up list, but is driving her around.

I then try to explain my husband is following the bus, just pull over he will get her and I can then stop shaking. "Sorry Mame" ( have I mentioned I HATE being called Mame) "that would be unsafe, we have to drop her off at the address on our list" Are you freaking kidding me, you had the chance to do this the 1st time, but I quickly came to the conclusion I wasn't dealing with the sharpest knives in the drawer so I should just let Todd stalk them till they get back to my house then FORBID her from every getting on that HORRIBLE CONTRAPTION again.

I then instruct Todd to call the second he has her! The next 7 minutes where almost unbearable, but he calls and says "she fine". Okay but what happened? Did she not tell them this is her house? "No mom, I was TALKING to my friends" What...........Friends, socializing, when did I allow this? And when did that become more important then coming home to your parents who love and adore you? I tell her that from now on mommy or daddy will drop you off and pick you up from school no more bus! She then starts crying "I like the bus! I want to ride the bus with my friends" I give the standard parent 101 answer "We will discuss this when I get home. Let me talk to your father" Mr Voice of Reason..."she's fine, no harm done, she can ride the bus" What happened to unity? Loyalty? Concern for our baby's safety?

I get out of work still standing firm on there will NEVER EVER BE another RIDGE ROAD EXPRESS experience again....my heart can't take it! I walk in the house and the first thing Doos say "Please Mommy let me ride the bus! I love the bus! Please Mommy, Please!" So what am I to do?...Do I just accept Murphy's Law will always be present in every situation for the rest of my life and start saving my money for the copay on either the therapist or the prescription drugs I'm going to need very very soon or do I stand my ground and try to get some control back?.......................................

Well, I now have to go to bed because bus E like elephant will be here at 8:05AM.....................Another excerpt in THE HELL I CALL REALITY!