Like most mothers, I want to be a good Mama to my nippers. But some days, no matter how hard I try, I just don’t make the grade. And like most Moms, I feel flippin’ awful about it at the time. Today was one of those days.
Before work, I dropped Queen Hadlifah off at daycare. As I was about to leave, she sneezed with the force of a rocket launch. Just by the sound of it, I knew that I was going to have to tend to something unpleasant. When I screwed up enough courage to survey the damage, I saw that she had a corn muffin suspended from her nostril.
Usually, I carry a backpack, approximately the weight of Nicole Richie, with every necessity inside. But this summer I celebrated Queen Hadlifah’s potty training triumph with a small purse for myself. Needless to say, it has shuffled me into the “Negligent Mommy” category on more than one occasion since its purchase. Today was no different.
My first instinct was to glance around the playground to see if someone brought out a Kleenex box. No such luck. Frick!
Knowing full well that I’d find nothing, I peeked into my purse anyway. I was correct – no tissues. Frick!
I was desperate enough that I considered using a dollar bill. But I knew that would make me look crazy. Besides if the school caught me using cash for Kleenex they might initiate an immediate tuition hike.
Finally, seeing no way out, I pulled out a Starbucks i-Tunes free music download card (sorry Gloria Estefan) and shaved the boogie off her nose. My shame was deep and raw as I realized that I had room for evidence of my caffeine addiction, but no room for a small package of tissues.
As I left my sneeze art daughter, I made a commitment to stop at Target on the way home to pick up travel tissues for my bag. I vowed to never perpetrate another i-Tune card faux pas again. The fact that there was a Starbucks inside the door of that particular Target had nothing to do with my decision.
