THE NURSERY LADY

I WROTE EARLIER THAT I HAD BEEN ABLE TO GET A JOB AS A NURSERY WORKER. SOON AFTER I WAS EMPLOYED, ONE OF THE DIRECTORS LEFT AND THE POSITION WAS GIVEN TO ME. THE CHILDREN DID NOT STAY LONG, ONLY A COUPLE OF HOURS IN THE MORNING AND IN THE AFTERNOON, WHEN THEIR MAMAS WERE DRIVING BUS ROUTES. THESE LITTLE ONES WERE AGES 18 MONTHS TO 4 YEARS OLD. AT ONE TIME WE HAD UP TO 32 OF THEM, AND WERE REALLY QUITE BUSY. I LOVED THAT TIME IN THE NURSERY. MY 3 LITTLE ONES WERE ABLE TO GO AND BE WITH ME AND DAD GOT THE OLDER TWO OFF TO SCHOOL WHEN HE COULD. JESSICA WAS 9 YEARS OLD NOW AND SO MUCH HELP, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT HER. I KNOW I PUT TOO MUCH ON HER, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER AND I GUESS THAT IS WHY SHE WAS THE FIRST CHILD. I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO HER FOR ALL SHE HAS DONE TO HELP ME. ANYWAY, I WOULD ARRIVE EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND GET THE CHILDREN FED. I HAD THEIR MAMAS BRING THEIR BREAKFASTS, AND WE WOULD ALL SIT DOWN TOGETHER. WE WOULD PRACTICE OUR MANNERS, EVEN THE LITTLEST BABIES, AND I WOULD TELL THEM THAT WE WOULD HAVE STORY TIME AFTER THEY WERE ALL DONE. WHEN THEY HAD PUT THEIR STUFF AWAY, WE WOULD SIT DOWN IN A CIRCLE. THEN, I WOULD LEAN IN CLOSE AND SPEAK SOFTLY. EVEN THOSE WHO WERE MAKING NOISE WOULD QUIET DOWN TO HEAR THE STORY OF THE DAY. SOMETIMES I WOULD READ A STORY, AND SOMETIMES I WOULD RECITE ONE. OFTEN, I WOULD MAKE A STORY UP OR TELL THEM SOMETHING OF MY CHILDHOOD. THEY LOVED THE STORIES SO MUCH AND IT WAS A SWEET TIME OF DAY. AFTER STORY TIME, WE WOULD HAVE SINGING. I WOULD TEACH THEM SONGS THAT MY GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT ME, OR SONGS FROM OUR PRIMARY CHILDREN'S MEETING AT CHURCH. SOME OF THE SONGS WERE GAME SONGS AND OTHERS LEARNING SONGS. SOME WOULD TEACH MANNERS, COURTESY AND OTHER ATTRIBUTES. THE LITTLE ONES WERE SO SWEET. AFTER SONG TIME, WE HAD ART. THIS ONLY LASTED A FEW MINUTES, AS WE WOULD RUN OUT OF TIME. MOST OF THE CHILDREN ASKED TO STAY LONGER, BUT I WOULD ALWAYS TELL THEM THAT I WOULD SEE THEM IN THE AFTERNOON. THERE WERE WOMEN THAT WERE THE SOLE INCOME FOR THEIR FAMILY. ONE LADY'S HUSBAND WAS HANDICAPPED AND COULD NOT WORK, OTHERS WERE DIVORCED AND SOME HAD HUSBANDS THAT WOULD NOT WORK. IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO SEE WHAT SOME OF THESE FAMILIES WERE GOING THROUGH, AND I WAS DETERMINED THAT I WOULD DO WHAT I COULD TO BRING JOY TO THE CHILDREN AND THEIR MAMAS. ONE INCIDENT TAUGHT ME A GREAT LESSON IN HUMILITY. ONE OF THE MAMAS HAD LEFT HER ABUSIVE HUSBAND, AND HAD NAMED ME ON THE PROTECTIVE ORDER AS ONE WHO HAD THE RIGHT TO CARE FOR HER CHILDREN. ONE AFTERNOON, I HEARD BANGING ON THE NURSERY DOOR, (UNUSUAL, AS PEOPLE USUALLY JUST WALKED IN) AND I WENT TO OPEN IT. THERE STOOD THIS SAME ABUSIVE HUSBAND, OBVIOUSLY DRUNK, DEMANDING TO SEE HIS CHILDREN. I TOLD HIM FIRMLY THAT HE COULD NOT TAKE THEM FROM THE NURSERY AND WOULD HAVE TO GO NEXT DOOR TO THE OFFICE TO TALK TO THE TRANSPORTATION SUPERVISOR. HE AGAIN VERY HEATEDLY TOLD ME TO GIVE HIM HIS KIDS, AND I REPEATED THAT I WOULD NOT AND HE WOULD HAVE TO GO NEXT DOOR. THE NEXT THING I SAW WAS A LARGE KNIFE IN MY FACE. HE TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO GET HIS KIDS AND I COULD NOT STOP HIM, THE WHOLE TIME WAVING THAT KNIFE AT ME. FOR SOME REASON, I WAS NOT AFRAID, I JUST GOT VERY ANGRY. I TOLD HIM THAT HIS HAVING A KNIFE WAS PROOF ENOUGH THAT THE CHILDREN WOULD NOT BE SAFE WITH HIM, AND HE HAD BETTER LEAVE BEFORE I TOOK THAT KNIFE AND SHOVED IT WHERE THE SUN DOESN'T SHINE! HE STARTED TO COME AT ME, BUT THEN A SUDDEN CHANGE CAME OVER HIM. HE PUT THE KNIFE DOWN, TOLD ME HE WAS SORRY THAT HE HAD LOST HIS HEAD, AND WOULD BE GLAD TO GO NEXT DOOR. WELL! I GUESS I SHOWED HIM! NOW, I AM SUPER NURSERY LADY! YEAH, JUST COME ON BACK IF YOU WANT TO TRY ME AGAIN, SUCKER! HE CONTINUED TO STAND THERE JUST LOOKING AT ME AND I STEPPED BACK TO CLOSE THE DOOR ON HIM. TO MY SURPRISE, I STEPPED BACK INTO A WALL OF HUMAN MUSCLE- AND TURNED TO SEE CHRIS, A BUS DRIVER STANDING THERE. NOW, CHRIS WAS HUGE, ABOUT 6' 8" AND HE PROBABLY WEIGHED CLOSE TO 400 POUNDS. HE WAS STANDING THERE WITH HIS ARMS CROSSED AND A SCOWL ON HIS FACE THAT WOULD HAVE FRIGHTENED THE DEVIL! I THREW MY ARMS AROUND HIM AND THANKED HIM PROFUSELY, AS HE HAD OBVIOUSLY JUST SAVED MY SKIN. AND HERE I THOUGHT IT WAS ME THIS KNIFE WEILDING IDIOT WAS AFRAID OF! THAT WAS A QUICK LESSON IN HUMILITY, AND THE KNOWLEGE THAT SOMETIMES HEAVENLY FATHER COMES TO THE RESCUE WHEN YOU HAVE MORE COURAGE THAN SENSE! THE MAN WAS ARRESTED, THE MAMA WAS GRATEFUL AND ALL WAS WELL. CHRIS AND I WERE FRIENDS FOR MANY YEARS, HE WAS A TRUE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST-LIKE LOVE. WE LAUGHED AT THE MEMORY OF ME TELLING OFF THAT GUY, AND THINKING THAT I WAS SO BRAVE! I LOVED DOING THE HOLIDAYS WITH THE NURSERY. FOR HALLOWEEN, WE WOULD DECORATE EARLY IN OCTOBER, AND MAKE PLANS FOR OUR HALLOWEEN PARTY. ON THE HALLOWEEN DAY, WE WOULD ALL WEAR COSTUMES AND TRICK OR TREAT IN THE OFFICE NEXT DOOR. EACH YEAR, I WOULD WEAR AN ELABORATE COSTUME. ONE YEAR I WENT AS A CLOWN THAT LOOKED LIKE MAE WEST. I HAD BALLOON HOOTERS AND EVERYTHING. OTHER YEARS I WOULD DO OTHER CHARACTERS AND THE BUS DRIVERS AND THE CHILDREN LOVED IT. FOR CHRISTMAS, MARTIN WOULD PLAY SANTA CLAUS AND I WOULD DRESS UP AS MRS. CLAUS. WE SPENT THE WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY BREAK DECORATING THE NURSERY, FROSING COOKIES, MAKING CHRISTMAS CARDS AND LITTLE HANDMADE GIFTS. IT WAS SO SPECIAL. VALENTINES DAY, EASTER AND THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL WERE TREATED LIKEWISE. I HAD FREE REIGN, AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FUN WITH MY LITTLE ONES. NOW, BECKY, OTTO AND AARON WERE THERE EVERY DAY, AND BOBBIE JO AND JESSICA WERE THERE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL ON MOST DAYS. BECKY TOLD ME LATER IN LIFE, THAT WHEN SHE WAS LITTLE, SHE THOUGHT THE NURSERY KIDS WERE HER BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I LOVED THE NURSERY, BUT I LOVED SUMMER MORE. WE HAD LITTLE MONEY, BUT WE ALWAYS HAD FUN. THERE WAS A PUBLIC POOL CLOSE BY, AND WE WOULD GO OFTEN. AFTER SWIMMING, WE WOULD GO AND GET A SNOW CONE AND SOME POPCORN. (THEY WERE REALLY CHEAP, AND WE COULD AFFORD THEM). TO THIS DAY, WHEN I EAT POPCORN I THINK OF SNOW CONES AND WHEN I EAT SNOW CONES, I GET HUNGRY FOR POPCORN. AFTER ALL OF THAT, WE WOULD GO HOME AND I WOULD GET DINNER READY. REMEMBER THAT I TOLD YOU WE HAD PURCHASED A VCR? WELL, THE SUMMER WE HAD FIRST PURCHASED IT, I DECIDED THAT THE CHILDREN WOULD SPEND TIME WATCHING "UPLIFTING" MOVIES, AND MOVIES OF CULTURE. I WANTED THEM TO EXPERIENCE OTHER CULTURES, LANDS AND CUSTOMS. ONE SUCH MOVIE, WAS TARZAN OF GREYSTOKE. IT WAS A WONDERFUL FILM ABOUT TARZAN OF COURSE, BUT THE BACKGROUND AND THE SCENES WHERE IT WAS FILMED WERE SO BEAUTIFUL. THE KIDS GRIPED AND CARPED, SAYING THEY DIDN'T WANT TO WATCH IT, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A FILM THAT THE KIDS WOULD BENEFIT FROM, SO I RENTED IT. I PUT IT ON, AND WENT INTO THE KITCHEN TO MAKE SOME COOKIES. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE AARON CAME IN AND ASKED IF SOME OF HIS FRIENDS COULD COME AND WATCH THE MOVIE WITH HIM. "SURE!" I SAID-(NOW, I AM SHARING CULTURE WITH THE OTHER LITTLE HEATHENS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!) THE BOYS CAME OVER AND SETTLED IN TO WATCH, AND I WENT ON BAKING THE COOKIES. SUDDENLY I HEARD SOMETHING THAT MADE MY BLOOD FREEZE IN MY VEINS! I HEARD A LITTLE VOICE SAY, "BOY AARON, YOUR MOM IS SO COOL!" WHAT? ME COOL? I DON'T THINK SO- AND I WENT IN TO SEE WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. NOW, THIS TURNED OUT TO ME ONE OF THOSE LIFE DEFINING MOMENTS, A MOMENT THAT ASSURES YOU THAT YOU ARE A TRUE IDIOT. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE TV THAT THE LITTLE BOYS WERE HUNKERED UP TOO, I RECIEVED THE SHOCK OF MY LIFE. THE TARZAN MOVIE THAT I THOUGHT I HAD RENTED? TURNED OUT TO BE THE ONE WITH BO DEREK AND ALL OF HER NUDITY! YUP- THERE SHE WAS, ROLLING ON THE BEACH WITH PRACTICALLY NOTHING ON, AND WHAT SHE HAD ON YOU COULD SEE CLEAR THROUGH, LEAVING NOTHING TO THE IMAGINATION. THERE WERE LITTLE PUDDLES OF DROOL COLLECTING AT THE FEET OF THE BOYS, AND THEY HAD A GLAZED LOOK ON THIER FACES. "ENOUGH!" I ROARED. "OUT! GO HOME! NOW! AND DON'T TELL YOUR MAMAS WHAT HAPPENED HERE TODAY!" "AWWWW, DO WE HAVE TOO? WE HAVENT SEEN TARZAN YET,(AND THEY ACTUALLY SNICKERED). "HOME! GO! AND AARON, YOU COME INTO THE KITCHEN!" HE ACTUALLY HAD THE NERVE TO SAY, '"AW MOM, WHY ARE YOU MAD AT ME? YOU RENTED THE PORN!" HOW COULD I JUSTIFY MY MISTAKE? BY TAKING IT OUT ON THE RENTAL CLERK. YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT A STARVING BEAR WAS ADVANCING ON A PRIZE WINNING SALMON. I BLASTED THAT POOR GUY, AND HE LOOKED CONTRITE- BUT I SWEAR I COULD HEAR HIM LAUGHING WHEN I LEFT. I DID LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF CHECKING THE FILMS FROM THEN ON, I DIDN'T WANT A REPEAT OF THE "MOVIE OF THE WEEK". AND, OF COURSE I HAD TO FEND OFF THE CALLS FROM THE ENRAGED MAMAS, AND THE DADDIES THAT WANTED TO KNOW IF I HAD TAKEN THE FILM BACK YET.
ANOTHER TIME, WE WERE AT THE POOL, AND I WAS, AS USUAL, SELF CONCIOUS ABOUT MY HEFTY SELF IN A SWIMSUIT. I HAD PERFECTED THE ART OF WEARING A TOWEL TO THE EDGE OF THE POOL, WHIPPING IT OFF AND PLUNGING IN WITHOUT MUCH OF A SHOWING OF CHUBBY. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY, THE KIDS CAME AND TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A NEWS CREW DOING A SPECIAL ON THE PUBLIC POOL AND WANTED TO INTERVIEW SOME OF THE MOMS. THEY ASSURED THE NEWS CREW THAT I WOULD BE GLAD TO BE ON CAMERA- GREAT! I ACTUALL HAD TO HOLD MY NOSE JUST ABOVE WATER WHILE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR ME- I FELT LIKE A SEAL UNDER AN ICE SHEET, WAITING FOR THE SHARK TO LEAVE. I MUST HAVE BEEN UNDER WATER WITH A BLOW HOLE LIKE THAT FOR TWENTY MINUTES BEFORE THEY FINALLY LEFT. I COULD JUST HEAR IT, "DID YOU SEE SISTER SEE ON TV? DID YOU SEE ALL OF HER? BOY, SHE SURE HAD SOME GUTS TO DISPLAY HERSELF ON TV LIKE THAT!" NOPE, I WOULD HAVE DROWNED BEFORE I WOULD GET ON TV IN A SWIMSUIT! SUMMERS WERE SO MUCH FUN FOR US, WE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE FOURTH OF JULY EACH YEAR. OF COURSE I HAD TO HAVE A PARTY, (ANY EXCUSE TO HAVE A PARTY) AND WOULD SPEND MOST OF JUNE GETTING READY FOR IT. ONE SUMMER, I HAD JUST COME HOME FROM SHOPPING AT A SALE AT A LOCAL STORE. I FINALLY BROKE DOWN AND BOUGHT SOME GOOD BATH TOWELS AND VOWED THAT I WOULD CHOKE THE FIRST FAMILY MEMBER THAT LEFT ONE ON THE FLOOR OR USED IT TO MOP UP A MESS. AS I DROVE UP TO THE HOUSE, I NOTICED THAT THE BOYS WERE FIRING OFF SOME OF THOSE LITTLE BOTTLE ROCKETS. THE NEIGHBOR HAD A FIREWORK STAND, AND ALWAYS GAVE MY KIDS SOME FOR FREE. MARTIN WAS OUT THERE WITH THEM, SO I WASN'T TOO CONCERNED. (REMEMBER THE RAT TRAP?) I WENT INTO THE HOUSE, LEAVING THE TOWELS IN THE CAR TO TAKE THEM IN LATER. NEXT THING I HEARD WAS A COMMOTION OUTSIDE. TURNS OUT THAT ONE OF THE BOTTLE ROCKETS HAD FALLEN ON A SHED ACROSS THE STREET AND THE SHED HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. MARTIN IS RUNNING TO GET SOME WATER AND NOTICED THE NEW TOWELS IN THE BACK OF MY CAR. HE YANKED OPEN THE DOOR AND GRABBED MY TOWELS, RAN ACROSS THE STREET, GAVE EACH BOY A TOWEL AFTER WETTING IT AND SHOUTED AT THEM TO BEAT AT THE FLAMES. NOW, LETS THINK ABOUT THIS. MY HUSBAND HAS HELPED MY LITTLE BOYS TO CATCH THE NEIGHBORS SHED ON FIRE. THEN, HE TELLS THEM TO TAKE MY NEW TOWELS AND TRY TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. CAN YOU BELIEVE, THAT I WAS ACTUALLY MORE ANGRY AT MY RUINED TOWELS THAN THE FACT THAT THE BOYS COULD HAVE BEEN HURT? GOES TO SHOW WHERE MY MIND WAS I GUESS. ANYWAY, MARTIN HAD THE GRACE TO USE ALL MY NEW TOWELS, AND ACTUALLY PUT THE FIRE OUT. EVERYONE WAS TELLING HIM HOW SMART HE WAS, AND HOW HE HAD GUTS. THE BOYS WERE BEING CONGRATULATED ON HAVING SUCH A BRAVE DADDY, AND COOL TOO, AS HE STARTED THE FIRE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE NEIGHBOR SAID THAT BOYS WILL BE BOYS, AND NO HARM DONE, THEY WERE GOING TO TEAR DOWN THAT SHED ANYWAY, SO I GUESS EVERYTHING WORKED OUT, RIGHT? WHATEVER, I WENT BACK TO USING TOWELS THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD BEEN WOVEN IN JESUS' TIME, WITH HOLES AND THREADS COMING OFF EACH TIME YOU DRIED WITH THEM. I SAY "DRIED" WITH TOUNG IN CHEEK, THOSE TOWELS WOULDN'T HAVE DRIED AN ANT OFF. BUT I LEARNED ONE THING, "YOU CAN HAVE KIDS, OR YOU CAN HAVE STUFF. YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM BOTH!" MORE TOMORROW, LOVE, NANASEE