Accidental babysitter
It happened so fast. So friggin’ fast I barely knew what happened.
It started with a tap on my door. My neighbour and her kid (yes, that one I wrote about in a previous post).
Come inside, it’s cold, I say.
”I was wondering if you have some painkillers,” she says. “I fell at the bus terminal and put some ice on it but it’s so sore,” she adds, turning to show me her swollen cheek.
It looks bad, I reply and hunt for painkillers. I hand it over and advise her to go to the doctor. Even offer to take her.
”Thanks, but would you mind looking after for a while so I can go to the hospital down the road?” she asks. “Sure,” I reply, thinking it’s literally down the road and it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
When she returns she reveals the nurse told her to take the painkillers. “You should let her sleep so you can lie down for a bit,” I tell her.
“Oh, um, do you mind if she stays here with you for a while? Maybe an hour or so. She’s quite a handful,” she says.
My brain can’t process this fast enough. “Yes, fine, no problem,” I hear myself say.
Oh lord, what do I do with a two-year-old kid at 8pm? Aren’t they supposed to be in bed by then?
”Oh, and she hasn’t eaten. I haven’t either. I don’t think I can cook now…” she says as she departs.
”I’ll organise something for her, don’t worry. Does she eat egg?”
”Yes. Egg is fine. Scrambled.”
”What about you?”
”Um, I don’t know. I really don’t think I can cook now…”
”Er, I have some avo. Would you eat that? I’m not really the cooking type so that’s all I have.”
”That’s fine. Yes, that’s okay.”
The next few minutes, hours (?) pass in a haze. There’s a frying egg that’s trying to be scrambled, a boiling kettle to make some butternut cup-of-soup and a frantic dash to make avo sandwiches.
Breathe.
Ok, the kid’s eating all the while asking for her mom. I’m trying to stop egg from getting all over the cushion of my CREAM chair…
”Auntie,” a voice pipes up. “Wanna go to the toy-let.” Oh shit. Is she potty trained? Aaaargggh!
Eventually I take up the food to my neighbour and the child refuses to come back down with me.
I don’t know if I’m relieved or not. The poor woman’s cheek is huge!
So now I’m sitting here, post-“babysitting”, with the following thoughts:
1. I’m not that scary; the kid didn’t cry once.
2. There is still hope in the world – this woman thought it was safe to leave her child with someone whose first name she barely knows.
3. Cream furniture should never be paired with children eating scrambled egg with tomato sauce.
kash99 said,
July 10, 2007 at 9:08 am
Shame my friend..i’m sure it was fun tho!!! But i know about kids..esp those ones who aren’t your own..sigh!!
Batman said,
July 10, 2007 at 9:35 am
I love em, as long as they go home to their mommies at the end of the day ;o)
Toby Hanks said,
July 10, 2007 at 9:46 am
It was quite weird. I mean, I’d done it with my brother but at least he’s family. I didn’t even know this child’s name until I asked her after her mom had left!!!
kash99 said,
July 10, 2007 at 10:08 am
By the way..how is the child’s mother now??? How did she manage to fall on a cheek??
MrsM said,
July 10, 2007 at 10:36 am
Are you sure someone didn’t hit the mommy?
I sat here smiling at this whole story…not that I think you have an absolute aversion to kids, but its cute the way she calls you aunty and you having to look after her. Maybe I’m just broody…
madamm said,
July 10, 2007 at 11:04 am
this is such a cute story!! I know you don’t have a real aversion to kids, but that aunty, wanna go to the toilet…bit…sweet man!!!!!
You’ll make such a good mommy (if you ever wanna be one), just remember, no cream couches!!
madamm said,
July 10, 2007 at 11:05 am
okay, I thought my other comment didn’t show, so I commented again…
why am I so duh today!!! (e.g. lifts opening and talking to Toby while lift doors close again)
Batman said,
July 10, 2007 at 11:26 am
I agree with M iemand het vi mommy biet gekry. *batman hates wife beating boxes*
Louisa said,
July 10, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Tobes,
sounds like quite an adventure! Hahaha…this is how I get out of babysitting duties with my budds: I tell them all once they start breeding that I don’t mind babysitting but I am NOT doing nappies of any child that isn;t mine – so how they deal with the nappy rash afterwards is really none of my concern. No takers to date.
Toby Hanks said,
July 10, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Mrs M, broody? Sweet!
Batman, I don’t think someone hit her. I know she takes the bus and she fell out of the bus with the kid on her arm. Kash99, Trying to keep the kid safe so she fell on her cheek.
Louisa, I think that could only work on my friends. Although I’m thinking my friends would know better than to leave me with their kids. Or their kids with me, whatever!
Oh this day is insane. What if she comes back tonight???
madamm said,
July 10, 2007 at 3:03 pm
oooh…give her an hour or two to “find Nemo” or something..
aunty…can I watch that?
Toby Hanks said,
July 10, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Oooohhh, Mrs M, you’re brilliant. I asked her last night if she watches TV and she just kept repeating, “watch tv, watch tv”. Kids aren’t always smart.
madamm said,
July 10, 2007 at 4:04 pm
yeah, they’re not. but you must never say they’re not smart either, unless you want their mommy to deck you.
Toby Hanks said,
July 10, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I would never say a kid is dumb in front of their mother. Unless their mother is dumb too then she wouldn’t know I was insulting her precious.