Make My Day

Coconut Telegraph, Jimmy Buffet

It is summer and we are loving it. After the boards, first step, and 12 months of third year medical rotations, in June we slowed for the first time. We found how totally exhausted we were. Philip has the whole month of July off and we are resting up (going to New Hampshire and NYC). This week resting and relaxing includes little agenda and lots of free flow. So, today, we all piled in the van around 3:30 and headed to a Boston public pool to swim.

When I take the kids swimming (or anywhere else), I like to travel with a light load. Philip, on the other hand, values comfort and ease above the convenience of having little on your back. To swim, the kids need a change of clothes, earplugs, goggles, suntan lotion, and a towel. I can't go much lighter than that with them, so I cut corners with myself. As we set out, I had two small bags with these items for the kid and Phil had a giant backpack for himself. For myself I had the swimsuit on my back, my shorts, and my Tevas. No towel (I can share), no goggles (for wimps), no shirt (one more thing), no hairbrush (I like to look natural), and no change of clothes (who needs it!).

The swimming was a blast. Ramona is learning to push off from the wall and is willing to get her head wet, a huge breakthrough. Sumner is a fish. The water was just right and we always make friends at the pool.

When we got out, all of my family members, like normal people, dried off with their towels and changed clothes. I even facilitated the process for the kids. Still dripping, I took Sumner's damp towel and wrapped it around my waist and got into the car, with my wet hair in knots. Somewhere between the pool and the van the kids and Phil decided to go drop by Dunkin Donuts for a pre-dinner snack. Since we are on a home-vacation, I was up for it and we headed to the nearest one.

When we parked I jumped out of the van in Sumner's towel, swimsuit and Tevas started for the door. When I turned back to see what was taking the rest of them so long, I saw Phil was shaking his head at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Don't you think you should put your shorts on?" he pointed out. It must be hard to be married to such a carefree person who rarely feels shame and embarrassment. I am more likely to embarrass people--even strangers around me--than embarrass myself.

I followed his advice and put on my shorts. We had some munchkins (which he had to pay for because I didn't bring my wallet) and then we stopped to get a few groceries for dinner (which he had to buy because I couldn't go into the store). Then we can home and Phil started making a tasty dinner. I fed the kids a quick dinner, bathed them, gave them their meds, and read to Ramona. While our dinner simmered, Philip played a game with Sumner. I still had not found a moment to change my clothes and really had forgotten that my hair was in snarls and that I was only wearing a suit, shorts, and my Tevas. So, I sat down at the computer to contemplate this blog.

Then the doorbell rang. I thought it must be one of three visitors: Julie and Aaron (our neighbors), Greenpeace, or Mormon missionaries. I was hoping for the neighbors. I went to the door and asked who it was. No answer. So I opened it. Standing on the porch was one of these cute little college students canvassing the neighborhood for something I guessed he really believed in. On first glance, he seemed to be half my age and size.

He smiled at me and said, "Are your folks home?"

I didn't know what was happening. Was Ramona behind me? No, she was in bed. Was he high? No, I realized, he was just a diligent, civically minded youth who thought I, too, was a kid. I didn't know if I should kiss him or slap him.

"I am the folks," I replied and grinned a toothy grin. Then I helped him with his letter writing campaign, invited him in, and got Phil to write a letter too. I celebrated this mishap by eating dinner (I was starving) and wrote this blog. Now I am going to take a shower.