Monday, November 19, 2007

The disappearing car

It's been pouring with rain here for two days. Yesterday, I took the children to school in the car for the first time in months. On the way out of the nursery school, I got involved in a chat with two other mothers who work at the university about the current student sit-in; which buildings are blockaded; how long the strike might last, bla bla bla. Then I came home for my customary second cup of coffee.

I got ready my class which (unfortunately) was taking place in an unaffected building, and left the house at 10H30 leaving plenty of time to get to the campus. Which is just as well because when I got out onto the street I discovered that the car had disappeared.

It took me a couple of minutes to realise that through sheer force of habit I had walked home, leaving the car parked on the pavement outside the school for two hours.

9 comments:

engelsk said...

That's really funny! Hope you didn't get a parking fine, though.

Lesley said...

No, no fine, thank goodness. I have this technique to ward them off - as you walk up to the car, you screw your eyes up, only look at the windscreen sideways and mutter please no ticket, please no ticket, please no ticket fifty-seven times in three different languages. It sometimes works.

BeefKing said...

So I don't get it: was there a teacher strike today or not? Because you brought the kids to school and then you went to school yourself. K had school today: no strike there.

These unions, they really need to get organized.

Lesley said...

Bk: This happened yesterday before the school strike but during the student sit-in (which is only happening on one of the two campuses I work on). Today E's school is closed while Z. has school (his teacher is from Quebec) but no canteen!

Anonymous said...

Hi Lesley!
It's Bettina, and old partner from the 2005 Evoline Convention.
I searched for my blog yesterday (after ages, as you said) and came across your post...
Then I remember those great days of blogging and all the reasons I found to stop doing it...
Well I just wanted to say Hi!
Thanks to be there!
Write you soon,
Bettina

Anonymous said...

* points at Lesley and sniggers

* then blushes furiously as she remembers having done something very similar herself

How long did it take for the adrenaline to dissipate after you thought the car had gone?

Princesse Ecossaise said...

Oh Lesley! That is hilarious!! When these kind of things happen to me I am always comforted by the fact that at least they will make a good blog post! :-)

Anonymous said...

Perhaps it's a Freudian slip.

You're car represents your inner id.

You left your inner id at the school gates.

It was raining so you hoped the teacher would take pity on your inner id and bring it indoors.

That way your inner id would be able to play in the sand pit.

You suffer distress when you find your inner id still at the school gates two hours later.

Your inner id is on strike.

Lesley said...

Hi Bettina. I remember you!

Teuchter: Glad I'm not the only forgetful one.

P.Ecossaise: I'm going to get one of those "I'm so blogging this" T-shirts.

Jonathan: Mmmmmmm.

Confinement

Being confined indoors most of the day, just the four of us, is reminding me of the days when my children were wee and most of our weekends ...