I am Not Clicking My Ruby Red Slippers

My car is fine. The transmission slipping was a fluke. The service representative never charged me, either. I am counting all of this a blessing.

I really started a Hawaii post. You do believe me, don't you?

I hemmed and hawed on my In N Out order at the drive through. The teenager taking my order (yes a person stands at the drive through) was overly helpful with changing my mind. I was not as hungry as I wanted to be. Finally, out of the corner of my eye the lady in the Lexus behind me grew impatient.

I pulled forward to pay. "I am SO sorry. I am going to be THAT customer in the drive through that does not have her wallet. I grabbed my diaper back pack and tossed out diapers, a banana, and some markers. No wallet. "It is probably in the back. The lady behind me HATES me already. I took forever to order." I threw my car in park, jumped out, and opened the back van door. I jumped in and tossed a few toys. No wallet. Stink eye from the Lexus behind.

I jumped back in and told the cashier to hold my order. The food window waved me on, and I pulled into a parking spot. "But I want my chocolate shake. You said I could have a chocolate shake. Mommy, are you going to get my chocolate shake?!?!?"

And I will not confess how many drive through meals we have had in the last 6 weeks. But just know my 22 month old was crowing, "Shake? Shake!!?!?" too. Wherever did he learn that?

No wallet. No shakes. Whiny children. This now qualifies as an emergency and a crisis. Must call Hubs, who has not had lunch. It is well after 4pm. He assures me it must be at my parents' house or in my car. I high tail it back to their house, all 8 minutes of a drive. I call twice. No wallet. I pull up anyway, and ransack their house. No wallet. Still in crisis. Must call Hubs again. "Why don't you come over to the (new) house and I will help you look for it. It has to be in your car." Still trying to quiet the cries for shakes all the way to our house. I pull up and Hubs, my Superhero, is waiting outside for me when I drive up.

He methodically and cautiously inspects my now harried van. No wallet. He meticulously plucks apart my diaper back pack. No wallet. He is still optimisitc. That is his job, his answer to my dramatic tendencies. He hands me $100 and tells me to go buy the shakes. But my gut aches. "Can you please call American Express and see what the last charge was to my card?" Calmly he dials. His eyes pop wide. "N0rdstrom online?!? We need all of these cards canceled immediately!" He hangs up, and assures me he will take care of this mess. And then he plucks the $100 from my hand, and hands me a $20 bill. I am not offended.

I drive off to In N Out, considering the contents of my wallet. The credit cards Hubs would handle. What else of value was in there? MY LEGOLAND PASSES. Argggh. Dial mom. Tell her to look up the number for Legoland. Light bulb clicks. "FORGET IT MOM! I am going to get you a shake. Stop whining! GET ME THE NUMBER TO N0RDSTROM."

"You are not using your very nice manners," says a very hurt, very sincere, teeny tiny voice. I feel awful. He means it. And he is very right.

Call Nordstrom. They are very helpful. I say choice words...not foul language. I contain myself to....choice words. I tell the woman she is my best friend. This will get resolved. I feel relieved.

Arrive at In N Out. Teenagers can be very sympathetic at the drive through and at the cashier. I want nice teenagers like them. I deliver In N Out to Hubs. Two thousand dollars we will not be responsible for, charged at TM0bile, Veriz0n, Sears, Home Dep0t,Neiman Marcus, and N0rdstrom. Ouch. I feel so guilty because now my husband is dragged into this mess. And he is solving this for me with all of the credit cards.

He concludes I should head back to the hotel with the children. Driving back, I have a thought. Maybe life would be easier if we stayed in Hawaii. But I am not Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I will not click my ruby red slippers and call Hawaii "home" anymore. I remember the Israelites that complained and wished they were back in Egypt, and they wandered the desert for 40 years. I don't want to wander until I am in my 70s, figuratively speaking. I shake off the thought. Hawaii is not home right now.

And the little voice apologizes for wanting a shake. And I feel like a monster. Later in the hotel, I spend LOTS and LOTS of time with him. Little brother is asleep. We talk about the bad choice this person made. I apologize for my behavior, and for becoming so upset. He forgives me too instantly. There is a lesson there. I still feel badly. I question the depths of this move for a four year old. First car trouble, then wallet trouble. So much for providing security for him. But every day is a new day and today I will try harder.

Hubs and I have a late night talk. He is the best. He tells me I need to be more careful, and this was just an accident. He forgives me too instantly. I am sure there is a lesson there. ;)