verging into orange


My keys are lost weekly, if not daily. I sent my dad a big 50th birthday card from Taiwan on his 49th. I frequently wander the house, knowing I got up to do something, yet absolutely incapable of remembering what-in-the-world the something is. I forget diapers & treats (deadly sins of motherhood)…not to mention, times, places & whole conversations.
People know this about me. They expect it.
But yesterday I surprised even myself. Quick trip to Target. A busy day all around, I hustled my pokey Littles out of the car, fought them into the store and did my deeds. All told, we were probably in store for 20 minutes. We emerged, eager for the on-our-way-Home, to discover that one of the back doors of my vehicle was wide open. Wide as in no-one-could-possibly-park-next-to-me Open. Absent-minded is one thing, but who seriously completely forgets to close the door of their vehicle? Me. I guess. I did lock all the doors, but obviously left out the final nudge on this one.
This picture (& the implications regarding my mental state) alarmed me more than I can say. Frazzled, I got the kids buckled and went to start the car. Dead. More than 20 minutes in Target, perhaps? Did I wander from the list? I’m truly not sure, but evidently the door was open on the too-long side of safe. I try again. And again. Noooo one wants to call their husband away from work because their car died because they are insane because they left the door open because they blended into Orange while grocery shopping for 20...maybe 30...or was it 40? minutes.
I had the jumper cables out & ready. Jim got there (kindly suppressing both exasperation & laughter). But, the “Of Course” & "Audible Sigh" of the story – he walked past the jumper cables, sat down, turned the key & it started.
Reader Comments (19)
Once when we lived in Chicago (and you know we did not live in the nicest part of Chicago!) I went to Circut City to get a new phone. I had my 2 girls and was in the store for a while. Came out, and the car door was wide open. I was seriously disturbed and doubting of my mental state. It's disconcerting to leave such a large, obvious "undone".
And, then, also in Chicago, I had driven to the grocery store. Keith was an hour away by train (if there happened to be a train right then), and it was pre-cell phone days for me. I got back out to the car with my groceries, and could not get my car started. I am terrible with phone numbers, but called my neighbor. Our husbands carpooled to the train station, and so because I had a car meant that she did not. So, since I was on a pay phone, she called around for me to find someone to come pick me up. This older lady from our ward showed up, and proceeded to demonstrate that my steering wheel was not locked or some other stupid thing, and the car started right away. Totally embarrassing.
So, anyway, I feel for you, and can't ever really find where my orange ends and my purple begins either!
But, have any of you ever gone to change the laundry and found a used DIAPER amid the wet washer clothes? My experience an hour ago. And, no, I don't mean cloth diapers.
Hey, at least you can say you got a Target trip from it right?
And I just have to say that I am still smiling that you have fat and that it's okay. Seriously the cutest thing EVER!
Kinda funny how he left work just to turn your car key!hahaha At least it ended good & an easy 'fix'! -ciao
When I was pregnant, I ran out of gas on the freeway, coasted off the ramp an died on the shoulder at the intersection. After walking to Lowe's to get a gas can and then the gas station, I realized my keys were locked in my car and after calling my husband to come rescue me, I lost my cellphone through a hole in my pocket.
But I've also locked my keys in the car while it's running, thrown my keys away instead of the trash in my hand, and on several occasions had trouble getting my car started, only to discover the gear was not in park and none of those while I was pregnant. Absent-mindedness just comes with the territory sometimes, no matter how organized we are. We get lost in thought about one thing and don't pay attention to the mundane.
I loved your Presidents' Day post!!! I have heard so many good things about "Founding Mothers." You have inspired me to pick up a copy immediately.
Love the quote...
I would say that I mostly do things like that when I'm pregnant, though. When I was pg with Savy, Nate found the cereal in the fridge one morning after I'd already left for work. Yes, I definitely have those moments when I'm pregnant.
1-When I was in college I borrowed my roommate's car to drive to Salt Lake City. I stopped at a gas station and went in to use the bathroom. I came back out and the car wouldn't start. I had 7 people try to help start it and one of those even jumped the battery. No luck. I finally called my roommate and her friend drove 45 minutes to pick me up. He sat down in the driver seat and started laughing. He told me that it might help start the car if I put the car back in park. DUH!
2-I lost my camera a last month. For weeks I searched everywhere for it. I even emailed EVERYBODY that I had been in contact with within the last month during picture taking times. I cleaned my room so it was spotless, still no camera. I finally gave up and assumed it to be gone for good. A couple of weeks ago I picked up my checkbook box. But it wasn't my checkbook box, it was only the lid. And guess what was hiding under the lid...I am still getting emails from people asking me if I found it.
3-Last one! I offered to take a bunch of girls home from work one day. The five of us piled up in the truck. My ex had my car that day. I placed the key in the ignition and tried to start the car. Nothing happened. Not even a noise. I finally called my ex husband upset and he left work to come help. I kept apologizing to my friends. Long story short...I had placed the key to my car in the ignition. The truck key on my chain worked just fine. :)
Sorry for the long comment. At least you know you are not alone. I just love the way you write it though. It makes me feel like I was there. :)