A Kid’s Story

I thought I'd share a funny story from years ago.  It was inspired by one told to me yesterday by Coach Clawson's wife, Stephanie.  I would never tell her story because it will forever be a classic in her household.  She triggered a memory etched forever in my mind and so I thought - well, Chris isn't here to be embarrassed about this now so I’ll go ahead and tell it.

To be honest, I don't even think Chris would mind if he was sitting next to me in person as I share it because, first of all, he was only about three years old and second he was the kind of kid who could laugh out loud at himself.  So here's the story.  I'll try to paint the picture...

We always took the kids on some sort of vacation each year.  It wasn't usually for very long but I really tried to do something memorable with them every year.

This one spring when Jeremy was off for school break, he was probably in first grade I imagine, I took the kids to Disney.  It was one of those times when everyone is traveling because all the kids in the northeast are on vacation and everyone and their mother was traveling.  

Picture the busy airport when there's nowhere to sit and the airline attendant is on the loud speaker every five minutes saying the flight is oversold and would anyone care to give up their seats for a later flight.

It's jammed with kids running around and cranky parents who are sweating because they're toting along all this kid gear, don't want their children touchingly thing in the germ infested waiting area and absolutely nowhere to go.  Add to that the case of nerves many parents have begging God for their kids not to misbehave in a public environment or on the plane.

OK, so there we were; a six and three year old,  midway to our destination, sitting in the Atlanta airport waiting on a delayed flight feeling like hostages in the terminal.  We were looking at each other wishing I could partake in the free flight vouchers being offered knowing full well I couldn't grab them due to these two little kids I had in tow.  I was already about to explode from the crabby people around us, the endless coughing and sneezing everyone in the area seemed to be doing in our direction, attempting to entertain our kids who repeatedly asked when we would be there and wanting desperately to get to the warmth of Florida.  On top of all that we were at the mercy of our next planes arrival which seemed to be taking forever.

After waiting and listening to the airline staff give yet another delay announcement I told Mike I was going to the ladies room.  I guess I didn't realize I should have told Christopher where I was going. I really didn't feel the need, nor did I guess he was interested in knowing. He was only three, what did he care.  I was wrong.   He cared.

While I was gone he must have missed me.  I believe he had himself a little conversation with Mike in asking him my whereabouts and Mike told him “I would be right back I was in the bathroom.”  That was the end of it so far as Mike thought but when Chris spotted me clear across the terminal as I exited the ladies room he mightily waved his arms at me, flailing them about and yelled at the top of his lungs. " MOM, DID YOU HAVE TO PEE OR POOP?!"

Oh my God, hide me under the nearest check-in counter.  I thought I would die.  I felt like the entire wing of the terminal stopped dead in their tracks.  Everybody heard him.  The jam packed holding area was roaring and everyone was staring at me.  It seemed like an absolute eternity for my feet to continue moving so I could get back to my seat and bury my head in humiliation.  I will never forget that moment.  I think we were the talk of the plane.

Ah yes, kid memories. The stories are priceless.  I hope you have plenty too.  Lock them into your brain and one day share them even if they're embarrassing.  They're treasures forever!

By the way, I only had to pee.

Thank you for reading.