Trouble at the Top Stop

After returning from a field trip to a farm with 15 preschoolers and 3 two year olds I needed a drink...a big one.


Sure, the field trip was fun but with kids and animals I'm in a perpetual state of panic that someone is going to get lost or maimed. Luckily, none of that happened today. Until...


We pulled into the gas station which was unusually busy. The only spot left was on the end next to a gangsta mobile. Suped up little silver car, battle ax hubcaps, black lights (do you really need them on during the day?), barbed wire license plate holder, and of course the bass turned way up so you can feel it in your heart.


Whatever, I don't care. I need my Dr. Pepper. Simon hops out and as I'm unloading Gracie I feel something in my hair. Something angry.


(Are you scared yet? I was.) I flip around thinking one of the smoking homies was messing with me. Nope. Nothing there. I unbuckle Gracie's other buckle and it's back and it's stuck. And now I know what it is. It's a freaking hornet buzzing like its nobodies business because it's caught in my hair!


Now if you think I'm a mess when you mix kids and cows you should see me with bugs on my head. I'm jumping up and down, screaming, waving my arms, and doing the crazy person dance. I'm so insane that I crash right into the silver car of death. At which point out come the gangsters in their bandannas and baggy pants to beat me down. But who cares? I'VE GOT A BEE ON ME!!!


With in seconds I'm surrounded by these young guys all swatting me and I realize they aren't going to kill me they are trying to get the bee off me. During all of this I catch a glimpse of Simon standing up against the wall of the store with his hands over his ears and a terrified look on his face and somewhere in my mind I thought, yep, this just about seals the deal on therapy in his future.


Finally the bee flies away. All of us stare at each other. No one says anything. It's like the earth stood still. The homies disappear into the car and we go inside for our sodas.


Why can't I ever just be normal?