Apron Strings

I have wondered what would be the triggering event to get this mama to leave her baby home alone for the first time. I always thought it would be something carefully planned out and thoughtfully executed. But, like much of life, it sort of just happened, at the last minute, unexpectedly.

Today was exciting for me--I was invited to a literary luncheon at the home of the President of Cornell, honoring a very distinguished author and Professor of English Literature, James McConkey. I knew his work from The New Yorker and was excited to hear him talk.

Alas, I woke up to First Born Prince, all stuffed up, with a fever and horrible cough. Darling Husband is busy with student finals. Babysitter has school. Housekeeper doesn’t answer phone. I briefly entertained idea of asking elderly neighbor woman to sit with him but then realized she probably needs more care than my 10 year-old.

Me: Charlie, look at this map…see this is our house…and that is the house where the event is. It’s only a block away. How would you feel if I went over there for an hour and a half today? I would have my phone with me and would come running home if you needed anything.

Charlie: Is it really only that far?

Me: Yes.

Charlie: And you will really only be gone from 11:30 to 1:00?

Me: Yes.

Charlie: Can I watch a movie while you’re gone?

Me: Yes.

Charlie: Okay.

We practiced him calling my phone (he had never done that before because I am always with the poor child!), and got him all set up with lunch and a movie. He was a little nervous and I couldn’t decide if I was crazy or not. He is more than capable and more responsible than I am sometimes (Mom, are you speeding? I can see the speedometer!), but he is also so very innocent and still just a child, really. I pushed his little baby face out of my head and put on my lip gloss.

I rushed to the event, was thoroughly inspired and so very glad I untied my apron string for a whole 90 minutes. I almost knocked the President’s wife over rushing out the door after the talk. She must have thought I was a working woman, with a very strict boss who I had to get back to immediately after lunch.

Well, I am and I did.