Kids! What's The Matter With Kids Today
To paraphrase someone...having children is God's way of giving back to you, what you did to your parents...or something close to that.
I'm not sure I've ever mentioned my darlings in this blog but there's always a first. Today is the day.
I have two daughters, ages 23 and 21. You seriously couldn't ask for better children. By May both will be college graduates. They are also very religious. These days if you can get your children to adulthood without drug/alcohol issues, no pregnancies and finishing school, you're way ahead of the game. I'm very lucky and anyone who knows me knows they're the most important part of my life.
All that said, they don't read my blog so today I can talk about my oldest daughter!!
For the last few years, she's been living in San Francisco and working for a religious organization. In September 2013, they sent her to New York City for a training class. I know she loves NYC. She takes cabs, goes to wine bars, gets her nose pierced. She's my little Carrie Bradshaw.
While in training, she found out her next assignment was going to be based out of Los Angeles, California. Swimming pools, movie stars. She was born in Southern California. My baby is going home!!
One question was how was she going to get to LA? No problem...someone gave her a car. ROAD TRIP!!
Last Saturday, she left the land of Joe DiMaggio for the home of the Hotel California.
She found a friend to make part of the trip with her. I'd see Facebook reports about how large Pennsylvania is. Indiana, just one state away. Finally Chicago. Not bad for one day. Quick visit with mom and little sis, a little sleep and it's off California...alone.
The next day I see Facebook reports from Iowa and Nebraska. I'm thinking why would she be there....because she took the Northern route. OY!! It's definitely prettier since you get to go through Colorado....BUT IT'S WINTER!! Dad is a little stressed. Fuck that...he's a lot stressed.
That second day winds up in a small Colorado town I don't know. She staying with a friend. Ok good...I feel a little better.
That leads us to yesterday...the final day. A Facebook post about how there's nothing in Utah but Chinese restaurants. Good priority...Orange Chicken?
At around 2 pm there's a post from Baker, California. It's halfway between Vegas and LA. She's says 2 1/2 hours to go. I responded maybe 7 in traffic. That was her final post. Oy again!!
At 10 pm Central, no update. I texted her. No response. I texted little sister to see if they heard from her. NO!!
By midnight, I went to bed. At 4 am I woke up and checked my phone. No text, no Facebook updates. I sorta go back to sleep.
I'm up at 7. Check the phone. Nothing, nada, zip. I have a meeting at Social Security. It's going to be a stressful day. I put a couple of Valium in my pocket.
Now I'm running through my head every bad scenario I can think of. It wasn't pleasant. I'm also thinking of all the shit I did at her age, which includes a couple of cross country hitchhiking trips to chase girls. One caught, one got away. I also ran across a night with drugs, alcohol, locked keys in a car and deciding to get a pizza. Fun times!!
THIS IS MY PAYBACK!!
At 9 am, I texted her mom to see if she had heard anything. Nothing yet but she didn't sound worried. Well that made one of us. Then she says, the kid is in California and just woke up. All is ok. Relief!!
My guess is she got to LA, was really wasted from the drive and crashed for a long, long time. I get that. I also know it's 2013 and all she had to do was text, email or even update her Facebook page and all this would have been avoided.
But the good news is my baby is in LA....safe and sound. She even has a few days off before starting her new job. The stress is over...for now.
And to my dear daughter....if by any chance you read this or have a friend tell you about it, there's room for a rebuttal.
As for the Valium, still in my pocket. It's suppose to be a cold snowy weekend. OY!! Maybe then.