Don’t I know you?

I think I made a new friend today. By mistake.

Being that the kids’ schools all finished at the same time this lunchtime, I had to park in J’s school’s lower car park to ensure I could make a quick getaway to pick the boys up. Surprisingly for me, this wasn’t a problem.

Once parked up I looked around for Sally as she normally parks down there, and sure enough her car was in the corner and I headed over for quick natter before the kids arrived.

Being that Sally is my nutty friend, and being that I’m a tad nuts myself, I wasn’t walking entirely normally as I approached. And I was pulling a bit of a face too. More than a bit really. In fact if I hadn’t been cross-eyed I might have been able to see past the window glare and notice it wasn’t actually Sally’s car.

But I was at the drivers window before I realised the horrified face looking back wasn’t Sally. "I thought you were Sally," I mumbled intelligently. She took it well enough, I think. But I wasn’t hanging around very long as my blush was getting hot and I shuffled off trying to look purposeful, but feeling lost. And stupid.

Ten minutes later, having caught up with my friends and explained what a fool I was, I collected J and dashed off to my car for the next pick up. But guess who was just in front of me as I pulled out the car park? Bad enough that I could see her watching me in her rear view mirror, but then the traffic didn’t move.

And it really didn’t move.

One lane was blocked with the school buses, and the other just stopped. After a minute of wheel taping I saw the woman in front get out, and talk with the bus drivers. Then she got back in her car.

But I was none the wiser. And late for two children. And the traffic stood still.

When I couldn’t stand it any longer, my humiliation faded and I got out to ask her if she knew what the hold-up was.

She gave me the biggest smile and chuckled away as she said hello. I have no doubt she knew it was me, even if she hadn’t seen me looking normal before. And I didn’t have any time to say anything before she began telling me about what a hurry she was in, as she had to get to another school. The same other school in fact. We commiserated and then she explained what the problem was. Someone in front had just stopped their car there and ran into the next school along (it’s two schools in one campus). But as she told me she became flustered and she began firing looks at the bus drivers who were standing around looking very amused as the traffic backed-up behind us, and horns started sounding.

"Oh yeah, it’s real funny when it’s not your five year old standing on the road waiting!" she yelled over at them.

"Next time we can share a run, if you like,” I offered.

She smiled and nodded just before noticing someone was walking towards the offending car.

“Thank god! Yes, we’ll talk in the new year. Happy Christmas!” then her eyes narrowed, “Wouldn’t you know it, a BLOODY MAN!” she shouted out her window and pressed down her horn.

He stopped and looked over to give us a little wave of apology. I hurried back to my car as she yelled, “DON’T WAVE YOU IDIOT, JUST DRIVE!”

Couldn’t have said it better myself!