The Shoe

 
     I am running behind.  Well then, I am always running behind!  Now that Brittney has figured out how to take her shoes off she hides them everywhere.  She thinks it is a game.  I think it is a pain in the ass.  Especially when we need to be at her doctor’s appointment in less than an hour and I never have the foresight to lay out her outfit and shoes the night before.     When will I learn to put her shoes up out of her reach?  Think!  Where in the hell can they be?  She is so oblivious playing with her toys and singing to herself.  OK, if I were her and a precocious 3 year old what would I do with my shoes? 




       I decide to rule out the places that are wild first.  I peer in the toilet bowl at the clear water, rush to the refrigerator and search among the pickles, hot dogs, and cheese.  I am beginning to freak out!  I glance at the clock, at my precious little darling and decide to ask her.  Who knows, maybe she will actually tell me! Ha!  “Brittney, honey, do you know where your shoes are?  Can you show Mommy?”  She looks up at me with her innocent eyes, smiles her sweet smile, and says “I left them for the Prince to find!”  Great!  I continue my search exasperated.  She is 3, what bloody nonsense is she talking about?  No princes live here!   I don’t have time for this crap!!  The clock is ticking.  I have to make it across town on time or they will reschedule plus charge me for missing the damn appointment!


         Frantic, I begin searching the cupboards.  Who knows?  Maybe her prince is there?  Brittney ambles out to the kitchen singing “Hey Diddle Diddle” when I notice she is actually wearing one of her shoes.  Sweet mother of God!  “Honey, do you know where your other shoe is?  It is really important that we find it!!”  She looks at me with a sideways glance and smiles.  “Don’t you ‘member where Cinderella left her shoe after the ball Mommy?”  I stop what I am doing and stare at my baby while understanding slowly dawns.  My mouth drops.  I read her “Cinderella” last night before bed.  Holy shit!  I am running late and she has me living a flipping fairy tale!   

       I rush out to the dining room and glance out the glass sliding doors to the patio where she had played earlier while I drank my morning dose of caffeine and there almost glowing in the morning sunlight is my daughter’s shoe!!  I make a beeline for the shoe while grabbing my purse, pick up my sweet baby, lock the patio door,   and sprint to my car.  I glance at my watch as I buckle her into her car seat, put on her shoe, and give her a toy to occupy her for the ride.  I still have time!! Breathe!!   As I back out of the driveway, I glance in the rear view mirror and see myself for the first time and really register what I look like.   My hair looks uncombed; however my face is washed clean.  With a grimace, I comb my fingers through my unruly locks.  Screw it!  I am late as it is!  After all, it doesn’t matter what I look like, they are seeing her, right?   I glance back at her playing happily.  She looks completely adorable.  I continue on down the street toward our appointment which I will be able to make with no time to spare.



This completely fictional story from the depths of my imagination was written in response to the Write Tribe Wednesday writing prompt.  This weeks prompt is a picture prompt courtesy of Vidya Sury.