Page Two Hundred Sixty-Four.
About 5 years ago, I began nannying two pre-teen boys. At the time, they were about 8 and 11 or so. I picked them up from school, drove them to various appointments, then brought them home and sometimes made dinner, 2 or 3 X per week. At the end of the first year, Mom decided she didn't need me anymore, seeing the boys get older. So she graciously let me go.
Boys went on strike until Jeremy was reinstated. So he was. That school year, I was there about 2 X per week. Then, Mom let me go at the end of that school year. Again, boys rebelled. Again Mom re-instated me "on call". That satisfied the boys. I've been on call ever since.
Let's be honest. Sometimes, you simply need and extra set of hands. Even if you work from home, or have 2 parents in the home. You occasionally just need an additional person. So she'd phone me, knowing that I had other jobs and may or may not be able to help out. The last couple of years, I've helped them out 2-4 X per year.
About 1&1/2 years ago, I even attended grandparents day at school, so Eli wouldn't feel left out. (Grandparents could be replaced by parents or any other important person in the child's life. Neither parent could make it. So Eli thought of me, and Mom phoned. Who am I to say no to that?)
So, a month ago, Mom phoned and explained that she was catching a plane to North Carolina at 5PM on a day a couple of weeks later, while ex-husband was due back at 6PM from Philadelphia on that same day. Would I pick-up Eli at 4PM from day camp, hang out, go for dinner and drop him off at Dad's when he got home about 7? (Meanwhile, Max, the 16 year old brother, is away at camp for the summer, so he isn't part of the equation.) Of course I would. Great.
Mom phones the morning of and says she's catching an earlier flight. Would I pick up Eli at 3? Sure.
I pick him up and he's thoroughly confused by my early arrival, but gets over it quickly. We drive home to Chagrin Falls, watch The Howling which I've brought with me, (my rating: 4/10) and begin thinking about food for dinner. Then all heck breaks loose. I begin getting texts concerning Dad's delayed flight. Seems some pesky storm is grounding flights. (Those storms have some type of nerve, don't they?) Both parents are concerned and I tell Eli what's going on. He's not too upset. Then, we go for dinner.
There's an Italian place near Eli's homes where neither one of us has ever been. So we go there. He has Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken which is very good and I get the Chicken Marsala which is wonderful. Dad phones again saying it's not looking good. Mom phones again, frantic. I remind both parents that I was a live-in nanny for 10 years for two different families. Between 2 pre-school girls and 3 adolescent boys, there's no childhood emergency that I've not already encountered. This may be new territory for them, but not for me. So what if my 3 hour stint turns into 20? If I did have plans I'd change them. Eli's top priority now. That soothes both of them tremendously.
Eli and I go get some ice cream and walk around gorgeous, downtown Chagrin Falls, Ohio. We have great fun. We go to CVS so I can purchase a toothbrush, some floss and some razors 'cause it looks like I'll be staying over. We go back home and watch Attack Of The Giant Leeches, another DVD I've brought with me (my rating: 2/10) and find out that, indeed, I will be staying the night.
Eli's a smidgeon anxious, but really, not much. I stay in his room while he falls asleep and all is right with the world. I sleep in Mom's room and watch TV from bed which, for me, is a luxury. At 11.30, Max phones to say "hi Mom". Boy is he surprised to hear my voice.
Next morning, I wake up way too early and begin making preparations for French Toast. I wake up Eli at a civilized hour, he comes downstairs and while waiting for me to whip up breakfast, step-mom phones from Paris where she's seeing the sites with 2 of her 3 adult children. They talk for a while. Then he comes and has his morning meal. He's quite happy with my fare (add vanilla extract and cinnamon to your egg/milk mixture the next time you do French Toast. It's wonderful. Also heat up the syrup. It will elicit squeals of delight.)
Mom phones me during breakfast to say that dad drove in to Cleveland from Philly, arriving in Chagrin Falls about 5 or 6AM. Who knows when I'm off the clock? He'll phone me upon consciousness and then I'll drop of his youngest child.
He phones at 10. It all works out fine. When the dust clears, both parents were very grateful. I was glad to help.
I'll tell you what else. A few years ago when Max had his Bar Mitzvah, Mom had to REALLY lobby to get me invited. Dad and step-mom didn't quite grasp how fond their boys were of me. In a coupe of months,when Eli steps up and becomes a man in the eyes of his religion, I'll bet you a million dollars, I'll be invited with no hesitation.
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