It was a hazy morning

Carrie wanted to spend the night and 'sleep over' as she says. No problem. Carrie often has this request; I instructed her to get her clothes packed and I would be over to get her.

 

The night's sleep was interrupted at 0200 and for the next three hours, I was chasing an elusive quest to get back to sleep. My body was willing but my brain wouldn't cooperate. I lay on the sofa beneath a soft blanket while the fan overhead sent air swirling around me. I favor sleeping in a cool room beneath a blanket.

 

The digital time on the cable box atop the television kept me up to date on the time and unfortunately I checked it every thirty minutes. The last time noted was 0530 hrs. I slept.

 

0726 and I felt a soft touch to my shoulder and rolling over onto my side, Carrie stood. Her early morning voice heavy with sleep, one hand massaging her eyes, said "Nonnie, wake up!"

 

Having already noting the time and knowing that the bus was right that moment stopping at her bus stop to pick her up, I shot off the sofa and stumbled to the kitchen while telling Carrie to get dressed. As is our usual habit, we have her clothes laid out on the coffee table and now it is routine for her to get dressed on her own.

 

Pouring her milk, twirling around to turn on a stove burner, I was multitasking at break neck speed. Trying to remember to pack her lunch, a snack, a napkin, eating utensil, thermos, I'm ticking off these things while racing back to the living room to do Carrie's hair. Grabbing the hair brush, I swooped her long thick hair up into a ponytail, wrapped a hair tie around it and asked "Do you want bangs or do you want me to spray them back?" She wanted spray. I dashed into the bathroom, grabbed the aerosol can and sprinted through the kitchen to stir the Beefaroni and then back to the hair styling. I spritzed the top of Carrie's hair and smoothed her bangs back and suddenly noted the smell wasn't right. Hoisting the aerosol can, I read the label. "Sure". "Damn!" I said as I headed back to the bathroom. Carrie is calling to me "Nonnie, what did you put in my hair?" "Nothing" I said as I reappeared with the hairspray and again spritzed her hair.

 

Carrie is no fool. She guessed. "Nonnie, you sprayed my hair with that stuff you put under your arms?"

 

Of course Carrie shares everything with her teacher. I'm sure the teacher has heard worse stories. We got her to school barely late but still had to stand in a long line of parents to collect a tardy slip. Me? I came home and went directly back to bed where I stayed until I caught up on my sleep.