Princess Takes the Hit

(okay, back)

Emily: "No really, it's the rule . . . "
E2: "But she is trying to be so nice. We have to go."

There is more discussion than that, but I'll spare you. The boss clan will get there first. E2 will get there before me, because I refused to use anything but a bank ATM. I find the others to be "dirty" . . . like free WiFi. Kinda like rolling around in a back alley. You never know what's been there.

And the funniest conflict there, is that I've actually gone digging around in back alleys. I came up with a plan for my school to adopt a park in Detroit once and would sweep up syringes. But I won't use an ATM in a bar. Or a gas station. Unless it has a big Chase sign or something.

So as I'm searching for a bank . . . wracking my brain for the placement of a credit union . . . I come up with a plan. A plan of genius. I will call Princess.

We went out to dinner with Princess. The reason I was late. Nice Italian place on the lake. She flirted with our waiter. Our waiter flirted back. We decided we liked him. (Augi at Andiamo's. He didn't have a ring.) He had some good things to say about LLCs. But Princess didn't want to go to the game. Two years out of teaching and she doesn't know anyone.

But Princess is game to go out with the boss clan. Technically, she is now higher up on the education food chain than they are . . . she is our balance. And she taught and went to reindeer games with both the principal-former-gym-teachers. Perfect. I go pick her up. And it worked beautifully.

Princess had witty banter. Everyone was happy to see her. The Head bought the drinks. We talked shop. The nice boss finally figured out my age.

"No, really. I'm 36."
"I really thought you were younger."
"Well thank you, but 36." (which really meant, in Emily code, I'm still 10 years older than you . . . and have 10 more years of teaching and life experience on you)

Princess had class this morning at 8 am and a football tailgate immediately after. So I'm sure she is hurting today. If only for lack of sleep. She called me at 8:15 this morning and got me out of bed. Seems only right. But then again, I can sit at home . . . which is better than sitting in graduate school. I remember.

So except for the Princess-is-tired-and-cranky-today glitch, perfect plan. Everyone had fun. No lives were lost. No careers ruined. And there was Burger King at the end.