For a very important date! Or so says the White Rabbit.
This morning, in an effort to have a happy Howler, and a warm vehicle to take her to school in, we were late. As in, TARDY, marked on her permanent record. Nevermind that we work very very hard to NOT have that TARDY marked there; sometimes, it just happens anyway.
So, there we are, going quickly, but not rushing, to get her to school as soon as possible. (Yes, the car was warmed up for her.)
I pull in the parking lot. Now, I'm sure you're familiar with the
idiocy that is morning drop off at the Howler's school. It's better than it was, but, of course, there are always those people who just don't get it.
Stupidity drives me crazy. Batshit crazy. And this morning, I finally proved it. Self-centered stupid puts me right up over the top of the crazy scale.
We're late, and there are at least 7 other cars there, dropping off, who are also obviously late.
As I'm pulling in, I see a chubby blue coat bobbing along the wall of the school. He's to the sidewalk at the side of the building, headed towards the doors by the time I get my late self into the line to drop off my late student.
The parent in the 2 door black vehicle at the front of the line is jerking her way forward. I say jerking, because, duh, if you continually hit your brakes, even while moving forward at a snail's pace, the car will jerk. I assume that this vehicle belongs with the Blue Bobber.
And, this little family of dolts is the only one in the parking lot.
This genius finally pulls forward (oh, I get that she wanted to be sure Precious gets into the building, but, why didn't she pull into the no-less-than 10 parking places RIGHT THERE by the building, to await the terminally slow child's progress.
Finally, the Blue Bobber is close enough for Mama Blue to move on with her life.
The next vehicle in line is a large, white SUV. Boxy and huge, it could almost qualify as a small third world country. It's huge enough, that even with my glasses on, I can't tell there are children inside it. It's been sitting, with it's brake lights on, awaiting Mama Blue's forward momentum, AT THE END OF THE SIDEWALK that leads directly to the door.
As Mama Blue heads out into the cold cruel world, the 3rd world country SUV's brake lights go off, and the car jerks into PARK. The children who have been snuggled inside it THEN begin to disembark. And I can see Mom unbuckle her seat belt to help the small citizens open doors.
I'm the 8th car, at the BACK of the Parade of Stupidity.
At this rate, it will be Christmas before the Howler enters the building.
I pulled out around the Parade of Stupid, pulled in front of the 3rd world country and let the Howler out.
What I am utterly disgusted with is that these parents have no concept of the dozen other children sitting behind them in line, waiting to unload and get into school. Yes, our children are already TARDY, but this seems above-and-beyond Stupid. Why didn't the Mom in the white SUV unload her children as the Blue Bobber made his way into the school?
I spend at least the last full minute of contact with the Howler during drop-off time telling her to hurry, so we don't hold up the line. And I simply cannot believe that the people in the office, if that door is now locked, would allow children to pile up, in the snow and cold, without hitting the button to release the door, allowing them entrance into the building.
(I'm not even going to ponder WHY the Blue Bobber was tromping his way THROUGH the snow at the back side of the building: if his dolt mother had dropped him off where she was supposed to, he wouldn't have had any opportunity to get lost--it's a straight shot up the sidewalk to those doors! And, while it sounds insensitive, I have to say that if the Blue Bobber is working below level and can't be trusted to make that straight shot up the sidewalk, what in the name of God was this woman doing dropping him off along the backside of the building, into the snow?)
The kids get this procedure pretty well. I have yet, during drop off, to see a child sudden careen off into the parking lot or the field, or even the playground. It's the parents who do not get it--or, as I believe, refuse to get it.
It's not brain surgery: pull into parking lot. loop basketball court/parking lot and get in line. When it's your turn to have your child(ren) disembark, pull as far forward as the parking spots along that sidewalk. have children disembark. by following these simple instructions, 2-3 vehicles may unload their precious cargo at a time. move forward with your life. (if you are late, continue with this procedure. your children will be allowed in the building, even if they have to hit the button for admittance.)
