Breaking Through Ice: Nearly Going Postal

So back to the comment about nearly going postal on the middle school secretary. It all began when I needed to take the kids to the dentist. I know my friends think I'm insane for taking all six at the same time but it seems to work out ok. When they were younger and their behavior was terrible in public, it was awful. Now that they're older and I've spent a significant amount of time teaching them how to behave in public, they usually do ok.

Did I mention that this is a long story? Feel free to give up and go about your day. It's really not that great of a story anyway.

In order to get all the kids to the dentist, I first have to find a day that the dentist can see all six of them. Then, on that day, I have to pick up all the kids at their various schools at various times in order to make it to the appointment on time. Looking back, it would probably just have been easier to have them all miss the entire day. However, the appointment wasn't until 1pm so I thought ~~I should have time alone to mentally prepare myself for an afternoon with six kids~~ they should have as much educational time at school as possible.

It took a bit of thinking about who to pick up at what time and in what order but I figured it all out. Brittney drove herself home from the high school at 11am and drove through Taco John's for herself and Sophia. As soon as she came home, the three of us took my van and picked up Anthony at 11:30am at Camelot. Anthony was sitting in the office patiently waiting for me. I handed him the sack lunch I made for him and we proceeded to the Middle School to get Riley, Taylor and Zeke. Did I mention that I also had to figure out what time each kid had their lunch period at school so I knew whether or not they would have time to eat before I picked them up. I had called all the schools that morning to let them know when I would be picking up the kids so we would be on time for our appointments.

When I called the middle school that morning, I very specifically asked them to excuse my three kids for dentist appointments in Sioux Falls. I asked that they have them waiting in the entryway at 11:45am and if they had any questions or concerns, to call my cell number. I thought it was pretty straightforward. The others schools didn't seem to have any problems.

When I pulled up to the middle school, none of my kids were waiting for me. It was just 11:45 so I wasn't overly worried. I decided to leave Brittney in the van with Anthony and Sophia so I could hurry the middle school kids along. Because of all the new safety measures (don't even get me started on how they're actually completely ineffective anyway), I had to wait at the locked door. I pressed the buzzer and waited.............and waited..............and waited. I pushed the buzzer again. Still nothing. I waited patiently at first but by the end I was ready to just break down the door myself, especially because my kids were already supposed to be out there waiting for me. I pushed the buzzer a little more emphatically the longer I stood there. I waited SEVEN MINUTES in that doorway, not that I was counting!!!

Finally, there was a click and they let me in. They didn't even ask who I was like they usually do, so it's probably a good thing I wasn't a serial killer or something. I guess they figured that a gunman wouldn't gotten frustrated and left long before they finally buzzed them in.

I made my way to the office to check in, which took another few minutes. I calmly asked the secretary if she had seen Riley, Taylor or Zeke yet because they were supposed to be waiting for me.

She haughtily informed me that the current class period didn't end for another 5 minutes.

"But" I replied," I called and asked for them to be waiting in the entryway at 11:45. Do you mean to tell me that none of them have even been released from their classes yet???"
She just looked at me like I've asked her to explain the theory of relativity in Japanese.

I gave up on her momentarily and went to find Zeke, since he's the one that usually takes the longest to get from one place to another and I'd rather get him out before the bell rings and chaos reigns in the hallways. Fortunately, his resource teacher had him waiting outside his classroom with his coat, boots and backpack. Thank you teacher!!!

I walked with him partway to the door and sent him out to the van. Then I turned my attention to the lunch room, which was currently packed full of hundreds of 7th graders. I hurried to the nearest table where I recognize someone and ask for Riley. That kid pointed me in the direction of Riley's table. When I got to Riley, I told him to go get his stuff so we could leave. He had to walk back through the entire length of the school to the 7th grade area and then needed to come back to check out at the office.

By that time, the bell had rung, releasing the hoards of students into the hallways. I was pretty frustrated.............and I still had to locate Taylor but I finally found her in a classroom. I went back to the office to check her out and wait for Riley to return. I opened the glass office window and questioned the secretary. I wondered if they hadn't gotten my message asking for my kids to be dismissed early. She said they had but they only dismiss them at the time that a parent states on the phone message. I told her that I had asked for them to be out in the front area at 11:45. She checked her message book, saw that it said 11:45, thought a moment and then let me know that "children will only be dismissed from class at the time that is given. If you need them dismissed earlier, you should have asked for them to be dismissed earlier."

I looked at her like - are you for real?!

I spoke a little more firmly when I told her "I specifically asked for them to be in the front area at 11:45. I didn't ask for them to be dismissed from their classrooms at 11:45. And anyway, you didn't even dismiss them at that time anyway. You were waiting for the bell at 11:57. Not even close to 11:45! So now I just had to chase down three kids in three different areas at 11:57 while wading through the entire middle school student body in the hallways between classes."

She shook her head at me and stated, "When you call in you need to give the time you want them dismissed. That's what we write down so that's when we dismiss them from class."

Again, I gave her the are you for real?! look.

I can put up with stupid people but I seem to have a real problem with stupid people that have a superiority complex and can't use simple reasoning skills. If I called and asked for them to be ready to go in the front area at 11:45, it's probably because I NEED THEM READY AT 11:45!!! JUST LIKE I ASKED IN THE MESSAGE!

Fortunately, before I went totally postal on her, I just walked away. There are some people it's just not worth arguing with.

On a much more positive note, the drive to Sioux Falls was uneventful, the kids did awesome at the dentist and not one of the six had any cavities!

AT THE DENTIST :-)

Sophia and Anthony calmly watching TV.

I noticed later that I accidently snapped this picture when the caption on the TV said

Danger

Toxic

Children