Tales from the Trenches: Not everyone gets the good stuff.

I told you the story of being extras for the super secret movie that is filming up the street.  There was a particular company that was handing out promotional materials for people to be flashing as the camera panned the crowd.  One of these items happened to be a "blow up green guy."  My daughter wanted one.  She wanted one bad.  Believe me, I heard about the "blow up green guy" for 11 of the hours that we were there.

These little guys were quite a hot commodity and no one was going to let theirs go even for a cute 6 1/2 year old batting her eyelashes and giving a nice smile.  Just wasn't happening.  We came up with a plan.  Our plan was to watch to see if any were obviously abandoned.  I told her that if we saw one under the stands or tumbling through the parking lot that she could probably consider that fair game and I would give her the go-ahead to retrieve. 

She seemed to be okay with that plan.

When we were sitting in the stands and waiting for the drawings to be done for the "thanks for participating prizes," K- had her scoping eyes on.  She saw one.  She saw one take a header over the rail and no one went to retrieve it.  She told me about it.  It had been there for about 10 minutes and she asked me what I thought.  After 10 minutes and no one was even moving to retrieve it, I gave her the go-ahead.  I told her that if someone told her that it was theirs, I wanted her to hand it over and not be upset.  She agreed and completely understood.

I watched her walk to the bottom with a bit of a bounce in her step.  She got to the flower bed that was filled with day lilies and stopped.  She looked up at me.  She knows that to trounce through flower beds is not okay, but I waved her on.  Carefully, she stepped.  She tip-toed.  Then, she got it. 

She beamed. 

She skipped.

She bounced her way back to her seat.

"Mommy!  I've been waiting for this guy all day long!"  [insert hugging]

Then she sat down next to me.  The little girl behind her asked her where she got it.  "Someone dropped it and no one went to pick it up.  I just went down and finally picked it up." 

"Lucky!  I really wanted one!"

Then K- looked at me and said, "You know, Mom, I know the little boy who lost this.  His mom and dad didn't go get it for him, but I'm going to go down and ask him if I can keep it."
"Baby, I think that is very nice.  If you know who dropped it, it is a nice thing to go ask if you could have it.  Now remember, if he does want it, I don't want you to cry there.  Just go ahead and give it back if he wants it." 

She made her way on down the bleachers, bent down and talked with the little boy.  She turned around, head hung low, and made her way back up-- without "the blow up green guy."  She made it up, leaned in and cried into my underarm. 

"Mom, I really did want one of those guys really bad."

I had her look at me and told her how incredibly proud I was of her.  I know that she wanted that all day.  She felt a bit left out from not getting one anyhow, got a hold of one, was kind and gave it back.  This was her own decision. 

I told her that she made someone else happy, too.  "Do you know who?"

"God."

Yup. 

Then I noticed a little boy about 2 years old scooting his way up the bleachers.  He had a "blow up green guy" in one arm and a Silly Band in the other.  It was an offering to K-.  I looked down at the mom who shook her head.  I gave her the thumbs up.  She knew how much K- wanted that.  She knew how happy her son was.  (I suspect that he probably had flipped it over the edge for one last time and they told him they weren't getting it anymore.  Believe me, we've played that ourselves.  He must have regretted it when he saw K- scoop it up.)

So my kid stepped out of her own extreme want and considered someone else. 

Later, K- looked at me and said, "You know mom, I just really wanted to hold one a little while."  That she did.  She borrowed it for a few minutes and passed it back.

I couldn't be more proud of how she handled herself.  Now, she has a pink pig Silly Band to remind her of her thoughtful decision. 

Smiles in my day:
-  My truck has a few warranty issues that needed tended to.  I had tried to have them tended to back at the last oil change, but that was at the height of the Toyota gas pedal debacle and we were still toting a foot of snow on the back tire, so at least the tire cover couldn't be dealt with until later.  I told Hubs that I kind of felt like I got the brush off and said that I would send him for the next oil change and he could tend to the warranty claims for me.  They are replacing my stereo.  It has some big skipping issues when it gets warm.  (Weather or heater.)  The tire cover has been an on-going saga since the car was about 6 months old.  The dealership flat out refused to replace it, even though the elastic is letting loose, making the tire cover a possible projectile hazard as I drive.  They told Hubs that it fits loose since the tire on the back isn't brand new and has a little wear.  (Lifting up from the bottom makes us concerned that it will lift up and off the car, flying into a car and cause someone to wreck.)  Hubs called me at work mad. He is rarely mad and normally doesn't yell, but he was spent.  He put me on the phone with the mechanic (I was busy at work, too) and all I asked for was a number for corporate for someone who could do something for me.  I told him that we paid far too much for a vehicle with a possible safety hazard hanging off of the back.  Hubs, normally a fairly laid back and non-confrontational guy pulled up his big boy boots, talked to corporate who were very apologetic and will be sending my new tire cover to the dealership within a few days.  The dealership?  We've fired them now.  We'll be going to another dealership for service now. 
-  My aunt who comes the little over a mile down the way on her motorized mobility scooter to hang out in my driveway and give offerings of chips and senior citizen meals.  Every few weeks she ends up at the end of my driveway.  It's hilarious.  All the neighbors know her.  We call it Aunt Donna's Zipadeedodah.  Girlfriend just needs to get out. 
-  Leftover Chinese food for lunch. Yum.

Have a great day!