Shelley Roberson pulled her shiny and clean mini van up to front of the drop off line and opened the sliding door from the console on at the top of the dome. Two clean and perfectly pressed children fall out onto the cement, waving to their mother as they turned to disappear into the building. Brushing the locks of her shiny blond hair off her shoulder, she quietly signals that she intends to pull out into the street again, when there’s a rapid fire knock on her window.
“Shelley! Oh, Shelley, do you have a minute?”
She turns to the side and sees Ethel Sanders, one of the nosy neighborhood mothers from her daughter’s class, and she sighs. She waves, before pointing toward the side street near the school so she isn’t holding up the line. Ethel waves in acknowledgement, meeting her on the corner as Shelley pulls up to the side and rolls down the passenger side window.
“Well, hey there Ethel. What can I do for you?”
“Hi, Shelley. Just wanted to touch base with you about the upcoming bake sale leading into the Christmas pageant.”
“Has there been a change to the order? I thought we agreed on a two-hundred count batch of the gluten-free nut-free soy-free vegan chocolate chip cookies, and Desiree was going to handle the cupcakes.”
“No, that still stands,” Ethel nods. “And I’m glad you remembered—we can just never be sure with allergens these days.”
“Well, it’s only fair that all the kids should get to take part without getting themselves sick,” Shelley smiles. “Don’t you worry, I’m on it.”
“Good, good. But for the night of the pageant, do you think you might bring some extra healthy snacks for the kids back stage? Nothing too fancy. Just enough to get some of the little ones through the longer parts.”
“Oh sure. I’ll just throw together some chopped veggies and dip, and they’ll be right as rain.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Shell. See you tomorrow at the PTA meeting.”
“Will do, Ethel. See you then.”
She continues to drive off down the street, through the rows of perfectly matching houses and manicured lawns. As she pulls the mini-van into their neatly trimmed driveway, she hits the button for the garage door and pulls her car inside. As the door closes behind her she stops the car, gathering her purse and ventures back into the house.
The door opens to greet her with a kitchen that looks like a hurricane ran through it, a living room covered with kid’s toys, and a shaggy dog, waiting eagerly for his morning walk. She lets out a sigh, relaxing some of her tense posture, and shakes her head.
“All that matters is what everybody sees.” She reaches down to give Tiger a few pats on the head. “Isn’t it boy?”
12/30/21 | november: what's in a name challenge | original | 486
“Shelley! Oh, Shelley, do you have a minute?”
She turns to the side and sees Ethel Sanders, one of the nosy neighborhood mothers from her daughter’s class, and she sighs. She waves, before pointing toward the side street near the school so she isn’t holding up the line. Ethel waves in acknowledgement, meeting her on the corner as Shelley pulls up to the side and rolls down the passenger side window.
“Well, hey there Ethel. What can I do for you?”
“Hi, Shelley. Just wanted to touch base with you about the upcoming bake sale leading into the Christmas pageant.”
“Has there been a change to the order? I thought we agreed on a two-hundred count batch of the gluten-free nut-free soy-free vegan chocolate chip cookies, and Desiree was going to handle the cupcakes.”
“No, that still stands,” Ethel nods. “And I’m glad you remembered—we can just never be sure with allergens these days.”
“Well, it’s only fair that all the kids should get to take part without getting themselves sick,” Shelley smiles. “Don’t you worry, I’m on it.”
“Good, good. But for the night of the pageant, do you think you might bring some extra healthy snacks for the kids back stage? Nothing too fancy. Just enough to get some of the little ones through the longer parts.”
“Oh sure. I’ll just throw together some chopped veggies and dip, and they’ll be right as rain.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Shell. See you tomorrow at the PTA meeting.”
“Will do, Ethel. See you then.”
She continues to drive off down the street, through the rows of perfectly matching houses and manicured lawns. As she pulls the mini-van into their neatly trimmed driveway, she hits the button for the garage door and pulls her car inside. As the door closes behind her she stops the car, gathering her purse and ventures back into the house.
The door opens to greet her with a kitchen that looks like a hurricane ran through it, a living room covered with kid’s toys, and a shaggy dog, waiting eagerly for his morning walk. She lets out a sigh, relaxing some of her tense posture, and shakes her head.
“All that matters is what everybody sees.” She reaches down to give Tiger a few pats on the head. “Isn’t it boy?”
Tiger yuffs in agreement, and she smiles.
“Alright, buddy. Time for your walk.”