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Four Days In Presidio
| Open Poetry #20 |
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Four Days In Presidio |
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Corinne Member Ascendant
since 1999-10-28
Posts 5167state of confusion 
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Four Days in Presidio My boy was going to fifth grade camp. I worried about his habitual sleep walking, so I asked his Dad (my EX) to chaperone. Dad had never EVER been on a school field trip. Each parent had to volunteer for a two-hour nightly shift - “skunk duty.” Making sure skunks didn’t invade camp, and watching for kids coming out of tents – scared kids or kids having to pee. Or sleep walkers. There was a lottery – he drew the three-to-five a.m. watch. I had to chuckle, just a little bit. Dad lives pretty far away, so I attended the required meetings. They needed some adults to ride the bus, so, being altruistic and all, said my EX would be more than happy to oblige – three hours there, three hours back. He didn’t seem to mind, thought he would catch some shuteye. Right. The night before the trip, he drove into town and checked into a cheap motel. I warned him it was a bad part of town. I may have left out one small detail – it was nicknamed the “hooker hotel.” He didn’t get more than an hour’s sleep; people were coming and going all night! Imagine that! I spent days packing that new duffel bag: stuffed it with jeans, shirts, socks, underwear, insulated bed pad, plate, cup, bowl, fork, spoon (knives not allowed); one zip-lock baggie containing: toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, sunscreen, washcloth, soap in a box, two pens, shampoo, band aids. A sweatshirt, jacket, extra pair of sneakers, flashlight, and twenty bucks in a wallet. All labeled with my son's name. Just before I dropped them off at school, I handed my EX two orange earplugs. Told him he might need them. He seemed puzzled, until my son said the kids would be singing “Ninety-Nine Bottles of Beer On the Wall.” The whole time. ‘Course the camp itself was primitive. I may have forgotten to tell him that. Three Porta-Potties for sixty-five people. One of the returnees said it was best to avoid using the facilities, since last time there were strange looking animals swimming below. One garden hose for water. No showers. No hot water. Naturally, boys wouldn’t care about that. There were three field trips a day to various San Francisco destinations. The chaperones were each responsible for keeping tabs on six kids. Not my EX’s strong suit, but figured this skill can be taught! Picked them up four days later. I opened up the boy’s duffel bag, noted how clean and neat everything looked. Like nothing had been unpacked. It hadn’t. Next time I’ll just send him with the clothes on his back. © 2002 Corinne Bailey [This message has been edited by Corinne (05-10-2002 11:36 PM).] |
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| © Copyright 2002 Corinne - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Lesson[s] learned! Brava! |
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Magnus
since 2001-10-10
Posts 14135South Carolina, USA |
This is so perfect...I could see all of it, and I felt the pain your EX must have felt. And my son Tim would have been the same way about changing clothes.... Loved this one Corinne....Nice write! |
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Enchantress Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113Canada eh. |
Corinne, this is just too funny!! And I really do feel sorry for your EX.  Great use of imagery here and I love your way of story telling. Enjoyed so much tonight.... what a great chuckle! ~Hugs~ |
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Mistletoe Angel 
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816Portland, Oregon |
  (giggles in delight) Oh my gosh, I too feel so sorry for your ex, sweet friend, I know those kind of hotels so much and I relieved he was able to come clean through all of that drama! LOL! This is a wonderfully amusing story, sweet friend, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Corinne, thank you for sharing!  May love and light always shine upon you! Love, Noah Eaton "Underneath your clothes there's an endless story..." |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Wow, Corinne! I would never want to be your ex! (wouldn't mind being in the position to qualify, though )a great satirical spiel..  |
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Corinne Member Ascendant
since 1999-10-28
Posts 5167state of confusion |
Thanks, Sunshine! Thanks, Magnus, do you think I was too evil with the EX? Nah. Heh heh! Thank you, Enchantress - ya know, it just sort of all happened that way. I guess maybe I helped it along a bit! Thanks for commenting Noah (as you always seem to find time to do - you're very sweet)! Awwww, Deer, come here and give me a kiss! I'm in a dangerous mood tonight. Cor |
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