Getting it together

I would dearly love to be one of those people who always has it together. We all know them.  They're the people who always look put together, who multitask seamlessly, whose kids are always happy (and without food on their faces) and they certainly always say the right thing. I have moments of delusion where I feel as if I have the tiger by the tail, but it always comes crashing down.

Today was no exception.

My most entertaining not-so-on-top-of-it moment for today came in phases and started over my lunch hour when I ran into one of Andrew's classmates and his dad in the Toy Store. I was there because my nephew, with whom I had lunched, had earned himself a new airplane. I spoke to this friend of Andrew's and his dad and learned that the child was "sick" but had started antibiotics and so his dad - as only dads are apt to do - had brought him to the toy store to kill time and to touch every toy in sight to ensure that others will also soon be diagnosed with strep throat. I wished him well and told him I hoped he felt better and that we would miss him at soccer practice tonight but that I hoped he would feel up to playing on Saturday at their first game.

This afternoon when I picked Andrew up from school he told me his friend was sick today and I, as only someone who totally has it together could, told him I already knew that because I had seen his friend downtown and was sorry he wouldn't be at soccer practice. Andrew began to laugh and then said, "Of course he won't be at soccer. He's not on my team this season, don't you remember?"

Of course I do. [ahem...] Right. That was last season. That would likely explain the confused look that this child's father flashed my way in the Toy Store. 

Oh well, I tried.