attack!

I lost one today.  And yesterday too.  This is really weighing heavily on me.

I'm not these kids' mom.  I'm just a crossing guard.  But still, we are each a regular part of each others' days. How can this not affect me?

Yesterday, the first occurrence,  I didn't even realize what was happening until it was too late.   I saw these two adults talking with each other.  As I watched, it seemed more like maybe they were arguing about something.  Then things got more... animated.

And just like that, the larger one took the child of the smaller one.  What?  No!!

I was paralyzed, couldn't believe it happened right in front of my eyes.  If only I'd have known that there was a child at risk, I would have certainly intervened!  But who expects something like that to happen?  In broad daylight?  Right next to a busy road??

The abductor took off like a bat out of hell with the child's mother on its tail, but I knew that mom would never catch up, the abductor was too quick and agile.  I could hear the child crying.  That was, by far, the worst part.

The mother obviously heard it too, she kept pacing back and forth, thinking, plotting, trying to come up with some plan, ANY plan.  It was pure instinct at work.

And all I could do was watch.  And hear...

Then again this morning.  Oh, they've got to be kidding me.  This poor mother.  She's got to find a better home for her and the kids!

The images, I can't get them out of my head.  I thought maybe a little art therapy might help me work through this.

But it's not working!  I think it made the trauma worse.  I know, it's "nature's way" and all, but I'm starting to really hate [censored] magpies!

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the return

This morning at the crosswalk...

See it?  Behind me?  Approaching?  (not the bunny)

Actually, not an "it", but a "her".  Bike Lady hath returneth!

ALACAZAM!  Behold the power of the blog!

Recall   last week   a couple of weeks ago   recently that I mentioned that the ever consistent Bike Lady had been missing in action since before Thanksgiving.  It was a curious thing, a bit worrisome perhaps, but not too.

Well, it seems that putting it out there in blogland has conjured her back up.  She appeared like a ghost in the sunlight this morning.

"Hey!  I wondered aboutchoo!", I hailed

"Yeah, I started working a later shift", she explained with a hint of apology.  "But I decided to go to the gym earlier, so..."

I'm relieved.  During those weeks I wondered after her whereabouts, I thought it possible I might run into her somewhere else.  But would I even recognize her?  She's always wearing helmet/ponytail/dark shades while on the commute.

This morning, the dark shades were replaced with a pair of clear eye protectors.  I'm pretty sure that, nope, I wouldn't have recognized her without the getup.

So thank you, blog friends, for your positive JuJu sent in the name of Bike Lady (whose real name I still don't know).  She's alive and well, still riding.  Not that I was worried.

But next time, she better clear it with me first!
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chicken run!

Yesterday....

Quick chicken.

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The Missing

... a graphic interpretation (based on actual events)

Last week, Chaco had just returned from one of his rip-roaring LAN parties when...

THE  NEXT  DAY...

Just goes to show... sometimes the best solution to a problem IS a

1 - 2 punch. 

I charged him a finders fee. 

He didn't pay it.



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getting my geek on

Over the weekend, I was with Wolfgang at the video game store.  He was purchasing an "M" game, so I was there as a representative of maturity.

As he went about his business,  I tried to stay occupied.  I came across a stack of flyers for Denver Comic Con.

I half-joked to Wolfgang, "Oooh, Comic Con, we should totally go..."

We continued to half-joke about it in the parking lot.

On the drive home, we half-joked about it some more.

Back home, we half-joked about it to the rest of the family.

All those half-jokes summed up to full on jokes, and now we are totally going.  I've made the reservations and purchased the tickets.  My first geek convention!!

In an attempt to prepare myself for this thing - and maybe because I was trying to think of a way to make the June-and-me-switching-places-for-test-days story less boring -  I got out the sketchbook and began forming a graphic novel.  Meet the main characters, based loosely on some people I... uhm... know.  

Crossing guard and playground monitor, Big John is the village protector. He's a big guy with a big heart. Don't let the elementary school job fool you. He likes beer, baseball, and muscle cars. Pedophiles beware!

Playground monitor Dee has a bit of rebellious biker chick in her.  She's great with kids and she also wields a mean crocheting needle!

Crossing guard and lunchroom monitor June is the Matriarch of the bunch. She's nurturing and kind, but tough. Growing up with livestock made her that way!

Crossing guard Abby is a bit on the quiet side and often looks lost in thought. But really, she's just watching... watching EVERYTHING.  Don't slip up!












Together, they operate like a strange well-oiled machine.  Their main common bond is that they all care about the health and safety of kids...

... they just have no desire to be indoors with them all day.

They are

The Outsiders.
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