Decompression

[Actually, I wrote this last night, but got sleepy and didn't publish it.]

My day is not... quite... over, yet.  Nate and Sara looked after themselves this evening while I was at work, which is great; but they left the kitchen a mess.  I need to take the trash out... get the paperwork for the San Luis Obispo trip organized... there is some Guadalupe data-entry stuff sitting here on the table.  Boy, that would require more ambition than I have at the moment.  I will make myself a cup of tea in a few minutes, too.  I need to decompress.  If you work in the evenings, perhaps you will understand:  it takes me a little while to wind down.  My work is fast-paced, somewhat stressful.  The students leave at 9 PM.  To come down off the energy, I often linger in the office to joke with the other teachers, straighten my desk a bit...  Then I drive home with some music.

One thing that kind of sucks about being single (or I guess I'm quasi-single) is that there is no one here when I get home to make me a cuppa and ask about my "day".  I always have stories:  some good; some bad.  Good thing I have a blog!  It's not as much fun, though:  I have to sit up straight when I would prefer to sprawl in an unladylike way; I have to spell. 

Today was hectic, too.  It's always a little chaotic to coordinate all those people.  It's important to plan, but also important not to over-plan:  we exemplify the saying about the best-laid plans of mice and men often going awry! Nothing went seriously wrong this evening - but we had to make some really big changes at the last moment and the session just didn't hang together as well as I would have liked.  There was scrambling and switching.  Then a whole bunch of new applicants came in to do intakes. 

I was just about to go help the other teachers with the intakes when Nate called, distraught.  I usually put my phone away during class; but tonight, Si is out East and Sara is in charge.  They had both just arrived home after their soccer practices. Nate realized that his soccer bag had the name "Reid" on it - belonged to someone else.  Which means - where is HIS bag?  [with gathering small-boy tension....]  In the possession of some other kid? Lying by the side of the soccer field somewhere in Draper?  "Moooooooom?  It has my homework in it... and the T-shirt I need to wear for the chorus concert tomorrow...[rising to a pathetic squeak] and... my... Nin-ten-do...  Mom, I don't think I can sleep if I don't know where my Nintendo is!" He doesn't have the phone number for this Reid, 'cause the kid is in the same club, but a different age division.  They don't know each other.  Nate asked if I would call Coach.  That's the place to start, I figured:  I'll check and see if Coach has it?  Or noticed it? I don't have Coach's number in my phone, so I called Si for it.  He got mad! Wanted to know why, since I am usually TOO BUSY to take family calls during class, I suddenly have time to handle a problem!  Uh, obviously, I thought:  usually, you are HERE!  With the kids! Now you're not, so I'm handling the problem.  I said that I wanted to ask Coach of he had seen anything.  "Why are you calling me when there's nothing I can do?" 
"Well, if you have Coach's number-" 
"This isn't Coach's fault." 
"Well, I know it's not-" 
"This is not his problem!" Coach probably didn't notice anything.  Everyone is gone, now.  Nate's bag is probably lying there at the park.  I again asked for Coach's number- if the bag is at the field, I will ask where they practiced, so I can go look for it after work.  "In Draper?  In the dark?  After work?" 
"Well, we need the bag!  What do you want me to do?" 
I finally had to say, "Please.  Please, just let me have Coach's number!  I just want to ask if he saw anything." By this time, what I thought was going to be a 30 second request for information was a full-blown argument.  I was taken aback - I still can't figure out what I did wrong.  A couple of teachers were waiting to ask me about things and were pretending not to hear.  I was embarrassed.

Finally, he texted me Coach's number.  I called him and he was still at the field, coaching a different team.  I told him what was up and he started laughing.  "Reid?  Yeah, he's still here!  Looking everywhere for his bag!  And Nate's is right here."    I asked to talk with the boy's mom.  Explained the problem and asked what school her son goes to.  I could leave Reid's bag at his school office for him, and ask Coach to hold Nate's bag until the next practice.  Instead, she offered to bring Nate's bag to our house and exchange them.  I gave her directions and it all worked out fine!  But it all happened right at the busiest time of the night and added to the pressure of the evening. 

I am starting to unwind, now. I am starting to feel sleepy. You know what else sucks?  There's no one here to listen to my shit - but there also isn't anyone for me to listen to.  I am so lonely for CB.  All my Type A drops to the floor when I'm with him.  Day 16.

Bright spots? It was a crazy night at school, but the day was not a bad day.

I had tea this morning with a very nice guy who is interested in a relationship with me.  Flattering, absolutely. But I have to admit that it seems like a lot right now.  I guess I would say I have emotion fatigue.  I think a gentle holding pattern for a few weeks while I let some other things fall into place would be a good idea.  I could have scared him off by telling him that the only way to truly win my heart is to leave a rat on my doormat...  Instead, I dodged a little: I felt more comfortable when he was talking about himself.  Especially now, it feels good to just curl up in the chair with a cuppa and listen to someone else.
Another bright spot was spending a little time with Chad, my friend / attorney today.  Just social, so fun!  Heard a little about his relationship problems.  He is never relaxing to hang out with - but very engaging, very opinionated.  A little combative.  I always like sparring with him.

Oh, yes, and I saw Olga, the housekeeper, when she arrived today.  She has been away, visiting Colombia for the first time in years!  She was down there for several months.  She looked fantastic and gave me a HUGE hug.  Said (in Spanish), "Next time I go to Colombia, wanna come along?"  HELL, yes!  Wouldn't we have a great time. 

Naturally, my students provided me with my biggest smiles today, despite the evening's stress. 

I got to work with a group on pronunciation of "th" sounds.  This reliably causes hilarity.  And spit.

Best, though, was my jokester student Victor.  Yet another elephant joke.  When will he exhaust this genre?  "How do you get four elephants in..."  I didn't realize that I had misunderstood him until he got to the punchline.  "Two in front and two in back?  Wait! Does he mean in a Volkswagen?  Not a bull's back end?"

Hey, try saying them both with a heavy Spanish accent. 

Uuuugh.  Bed.  Paperwork will just have to wait.