Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Revisiting Dante's Seventh Circle of You Know What

Yes, I am a goodie-two-shoes, I admit it! I always play by the rules and I always have. It frustrates me to no end when others don't. And yes, I am one of those people who yells at people in my car. It's a weakness-- I'm working on it. But those two characteristics combined? Bad news. I should not be allowed to take kids to school. Remember this?

Well, now the school's different, but it's the same old rules. And there are the same old rule-breakers. Just let it be said: if I have been waiting patiently for ten minutes in the correct (and only) line to drop my kid off, don't you DARE cruise in at 50 mph and cut right in front of me and everyone else and just let your kid off like it's nobody's business. When you see us all waiting there, I'm not real sure why it suddenly occurs to you that you have some magical golden ticket that justifies you swerving to the front of the line ahead of 20 other cars! Please don't look so surprised when I'm screaming at you from my car--I have good reason! I mean, it's not like I planned ahead and spent fifteen extra minutes loading up five children in a van so we could be on time. Oh, wait a minute. Yes I did! But maybe your kid will be late! Oh no! In that case, GET UP EARLIER IN THE MORNING, LADY!

And to you Dad guy, pulling all sorts of crazy stuff, I will let it go this time, but only because you are a man and you are absolutely clueless. Oy-vay.

You people who live close enough to let your kids walk or far enough away so that they take the bus--you have NO idea how lucky you are!

I'm going to go put myself in a time-out now...

16 comments:

Annette said...

Oh, just reading that brings back the venom I used to feel! I'm so glad I pay super high taxes so my kids can ride the bus for free and I avoid the whole mess! Best of luck! Maybe you could "accidentally" run them over?...

Anonymous said...

Don't let the man in. Don't ever let the man in. The man is counting on you letting him in. This feeds into your cycle.

Jamie

Jewels said...

Oh sister, I hear you. I am terrible in the car- I yell at people all the time! I have often wondered why I don't have a box of rocks in my car to throw at lame drivers.

PS - I love your suggestions for Brett's new blog name. Isn't 'Much Ado' the best?

Elly said...

They should have a Curb Side Meeting at each school every year (or month--just for reminders) just to review the exact procedure for dropping off (and picking up) children. And some traffic cop should be out there issuing heavy fines to the line cutters like they do to people who go 3 mph over the 20 mph school zone speed limit. Amen.

erin said...

Hailey, I'm so glad you're a fellow goodie-two-shoes! and, Jake would be the kind of guy that skips 20 cars ahead to drop his kid off. haha. We were actually discussing these personality differences the other day... I'm glad I'm not dropping kids off at school yet!

Beeswax said...

A-men. I like the rules.

I think at the day of judgment, there will be one final car line. Maybe with two lanes: one for those who were able to not cuss and forgive the rule-breakers, and one for the angry, self-righteous rule-abiders (like me) and the rule-breakers. As you might guess, these lanes are not going to the same place. So far, I'm a #2.

Sometimes car line will ruin my day. Why do people PARK in the car line and leave their cars? Why am I always stuck behind them? %$&#%(%&#$*#%*#!!!!

Matt said...

Is it wrong that I have this mental picture of you in the car shouting at some idiot driver and shaking your fist, and I'm only somewhat successfully able to stifle the laughter? I am sorry that the school drop-off is such a hazard. The next time I design one of those things, I'll try to eliminate all possibilities of cutting in line. Oh yeah, and thanks for really brightening up my week with stories of your frustration. (It seems really wrong that your pain should bring me joy, but it is just so hard to imagine road-rage Hailey and take her seriously. Maybe that's the answer, you have got to be just meaner in general. Then those inconsiderate drivers would fear you and not cut in front of you, but then again, if you were meaner than they'd probably just find another kind-looking soul, and for all you know that person could be even farther up in the line and that would be even more aggravating no doubt... I could go on, but this is your blog not mine, and I've more than taken my share of website with this particular comment. Here's hoping tomorrow, more parents dropping off their kids will be enlightened enough to follow the rules and wait in line like everybody else.)

Hailey said...

Matt reminded me of something: and that is that there are two lanes, one for the drop-off line, and one for people who have already dropped off to merge into and exit the parking lot. Well, one of the reasons that the line is so long in the first *#@% place is because the cutters use the exit lane to drop off their kids, therefore rendering it impossible for any rule-follower to merge into it because they're blocking the way!! See what I mean? These rule-breakers are perpetuating an endless cycle of hell.

The McKay's said...

While I don't have kids and haven't experienced exactly what you have, I too have ZERO patience for people who take forever with their car! You,me and Carson in a car would be scary together. We yell at people A LOT! :)

CHRISTA BACKSTROM said...

Rule-followers of the world unite! I don't have to go to school yet, but I have been practicing channeling all that anger into a shake of the head and a mom-like, "Ma'am, that's not a lane!" I do literally shake my fist at the people who fly past us as I push the stroller and the dog up the hill by our house. Honestly, I don't think that driving a Mercedes SUV and living at the top of the hill (as opposed to the slums of the 3/4 million dollar condos) makes you more important than me and my child!

BTW, how did you end up loading FIVE kids into the car??

Hailey said...

We carpool, so I pick up my neighbor's little boy and squeeze him into the only spot left in my car!

Tom Quinn. said...

I don't have to drive kids to school, so I can't quite empithies with you. But sometimes when I'm driving around elementary schools early in the morning, looking for the type of kid I want to adopt, I get tired of the lines. That's why I don't stay in them. I do what I want cause no one's the boss of me.

April Fossen said...

Tag. You're it. Go read my blog for info. http://afossen.blogspot.com/

Annette said...

I love your new portrait! I think you look like Grace Kelly.

HaLaine said...

Oh the dropping off of children...one of the most annoying tasks of the morning. I have resigned myself to parking on the curb and walking my kids in because it's A: Faster B: Faster C: No lines D: No crazy parents trying to beat me off the curb

The UnMighty said...

Didn't you here about the Golden Tickets they were mailing to a select few parents. Sorry you weren't one of them.