A Day of LOSS

Wow, yesterday needs to be recorded as the Hancock Day of Loss.

LOSS #1: Matt left his BACKPACK on the bus. The panic and fear that descended upon our house in that moment was . . . ugly. Retrieving it was no easy process. A call to the school led to a call to the transportation department led to a call to the dispatcher to an answering machine. Wait 1o minutes, comfort the comfortless (imagine weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth). Call transportation department again, call dispatcher again. Give out bus number, name (Yes, now they know this is the child's mother who once stalked the bus. Lovely.), backpack details, etc. Wait...wait...wait...

Then, I ask..."Can you just tell me what school the bus is headed to next and I'll meet it there?" Silence. "No, I can't do that. It would be a wild goose chase." (When what she was really thinking was, "Oh, great this woman is going to follow the bus again. Should I call the cops now?"

The dispatcher informs me that the backpack will be waiting at 4:30 at the transportation department in downtown H. (Great, in evening traffic, it will take an hour round trip.) She gives me sparse traveling directions and then we wait.

As I follow the directions, I realize it is not as easy as it seems. However, I see many buses all headed in a specific direction. I'll just follow the "yellow-bus-road." As Jason notices that I am following the bus, he shouts, "Mom, don't follow the bus! You'll get arrested!"

END OF STORY: Backpack was retrieved and nobody was arrested. Matt vowed to never leave his backpack on the bus again.

LOSS #2: Trevor's Favorite Beaver Sweatshirt...the one that he would wear daily ("as a coat" that he then wears ALL day) unless I force him to put it in the washer. It was left at basketball practice. Trevor is sure that someone stole it...who wouldn't? It's the coolest sweatshirt. We're still holding out hope that someone has it.

LOSS #3: Costa Vida. Our favorite dining location has gone out of business. Sigh. Gulp. Waaaaaaaa! My life will not be as sweet without sweet pork salad.