And the Oscar Goes To....

Time:  12:09 pm
Place:  My van.  En route to Anderson, South Carolina to deliver a proposal to Anderson County.
The Caller ID:  Forest Lake Elementary School

Me: Hello?  (cringing - nothing good can come of this?)

Voice on the other end: Mrs. Long?

Me: Yes, this is she.

Voice:  This is Mrs. So-and-so (I don't remember the name), the School Nurse.  I've got Anna here with me in the office - she says her tummy isn't feeling well and she doesn't want to stay at school.

Me:  Has she vomited yet?

Nurse So and So:  No, not yet.  But I took her temperature and it went up a degree over the last hour, from 98 to 99 degrees.  I think she may be brewing something.

Me:  ???  Well, is she okay - or are you asking me to pick her up?

Nurse So and So:  Well, she says she doesn't feel like staying.

Me:  Well, okay.  I'm out of town for work - but I'll call my husband and see if he can come and get her.

So I call Deonne.  Who proceeds to tell me that the nurse had called him a half an hour ago (why didn't he call to tell me this?) and that Anna was to sit tight and see if she felt better.

Obviously she's not feeling better if they're calling again for someone to come and pick her up.  YOU go get her.  I can't.  I'm somewhere between Pelzer and Anderson, SC.  Your turn.

So Deonne dutifully goes to retrieve Anna and bring her home.  Calls me from home to say 'she looks and acts just fine.'

Really?

I keep calling throughout the afternoon to check on her.  "Is she okay?  Any barfing yet"

Nope. She's fine.  Really.

Really?

So I return home.  Deonne goes off to work for a few hours.

Here I sit.

Anna is acting surprisingly well for a child that was on her death bed a mere four hours ago.

Finally - I pulled her onto my lap and said "Anna.  I need you to tell me the truth.  You won't get in trouble if you tell me the truth - but you have to tell me the truth, okay?"

Anna:  Okay Mommy.

Me:  Do you feel sick to your tummy right now?

Anna:  No.

Me:  Did you ever feel sick to your tummy today?

Anna:  (A sideways glance and a smirk - checking to see if she's really off the hook if she tells the truth.)

Me:  It's okay - just tell me the truth.  Have you been feeling sick - or did you just make this whole thing up?

Pause

Anna:  I made it up.




And the Oscar goes to - Miss Anna Long.  For her portrayal of the sick child who must be sent home from school.

Oh, the reason, you ask, as to why the stellar performance?
She didn't want to go to AfterCare today.

Right.

But who also looked disappointed and sad when I reminded her that today was ballet day.

Maybe she will be a famous actress someday - and support me in my old age.  And make this all worthwhile...