Today was a calendar day.
The Bestie's mum and dad live in a satellite town about 40 kms north of Adelaide and during the week the Baby Angel decided she would like to go and visit them.
This took me somewhat by surprise and I struggled to think about time frames; hockey matches, 50th birthday parties, sailing and a whole host of other events which are scheduled for this weekend and which would impede my ability to drive her up 'north' for the afternoon (about an hour and a half's drive from start to finish).
"No, Mum," she explained in an exasperated tone, "On the train! On my own!"
Oh.My.Goodness.
She was serious. She rang Bestie's Mum, who was delighted to hear from her and the next thing I knew she had the train timetables up on the internet and was giving me departure and arrival alternatives!!!!! (just quietly, many of my Year 10 Maths pupils would have been hard pressed to get the train timetables up on the web, let alone read them !!!! ) Decisions were made. She would catch the 10.23 from Adelaide station and the Bestie's dad would pick her up at 11.17am.
Now all I had to do was come to terms with it.
And so we set out this morning.
Much to her mortification I had to have a word with the Railway employee and inform him that he had a young person on his train who was travelling on her own for the first time (apart from the three days a week she catches a train to my school but that's only 4 stops so it doesn't count).
"No problem," he quipped,"she should be alright at this time of day."
"Err...what do you mean 'at this time of day'?"
"Well, I wouldn't travel this line at night ma'am. In the business we call the stops between Womma and Everard Park 'indian country'."
"Because of the large ex-Bombay population?" I asked hopefully.
His cynical smirk spoke more of pulling the wagons into a circle.
Mum! Enough already with the photos!!!!!!!!!
So she is off into the big wide world. Next thing I know she will be back packing around Europe (do they still do that sort of thing?).
PS: The phone call came at around 11.45am. She has been safely delivered into the bosum of the Bestie's parents and they will bring her back tomorrow when they come down for Sunday lunch....
8 comments:
Well done, BA.
You've got a proper teenager on your hands. Must be close to trying her hand at babysitting, he said rubbing his hands.
With that title, I expected a large organetic spring-stretching sound from The Goon Show "grams"!
We had a visit from BA as well on Saturday, she came round to see the dogs and tried to take a few photo's of them also we were presented with a couple of delicious butterfly cakes that she had baked at Besties Mums house. What a lovely young lady and you must insist that she comes to Gawler more often as the Besties parents were both chuffed (so were we)
How lovely to hear that you Gawlerites! Thanks for looking after her for me :-)
hehe i remember the onset of "freedom" it rocks. You feel so awesome just for sitting on the train like an adult, and talking to people by yourself. that totally rocks. Wish i had the same feelings now when I do something for the first time.and nice pics! the BA looks like 16 to me (in a good way of course, responsible and cool!)
Quite the milestone reached!
What exactly does chuffed mean? I thought it mean irritated or put out - but from the context of one of the other messages, I gather it means pleased?
What a great experience for her! And what a good mom you are to let her take such a trip -- and great pictures to commemorate such an event!
chuffed means pleased! Well chuffed!
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