gridlock

Back when I was young and naive pregnant with my first child, I had a list of things I was looking forward to leaving behind as I got ready to quit my job and stay home with my baby. Office politics was on there, as was juggling a full-time job and graduate school, but topping my list were pantyhose and gridlock. I imagined myself wearing cozy sweats and driving places at off-peak hours.

We had a cold and rainy January here in Texas. Yes, I realize it's winter and it's supposed to be cold, but most "true" Texans cease to function when the mercury dips below 60 degrees. Most of the time, I actually sort of enjoy the quiet playgrounds (my little Yankees still want to play when it's cold) and the uncrowded running trails. But we've been experiencing daily heinous gridlock of the elementary school kind.

We live about 3/4 mile from Bryce's elementary school. It's just far enough that it's too hard to pack up all four kids and walk them to school and back every day. So I carpool with a friend on the next street over, and drive a minivan packed to the gills with kids. And the mile and a half round trip takes me about 20 minutes most mornings.

Except when it's below 50 degrees or raining.

Back in August, Bryce's school had a great system in place for dropping kids off. Six cars would pull up to the front of the school at the same time, and six teachers would be waiting to help the kids out of the cars and hurry them into the buildings. Sometimes I could pick up the carpool buddies, drop the kids off at school, and be home in about 15 minutes.

But these days, only one intrepid soul waits outside for the kids. Instead of six cars unloading at the same time, we're lucky if two or three unload since the kids all want to be dropped off directly in front of the awning. If you factor in the extra cars for the kids who walk when the weather's good but get a ride when it's bad, that means major, major gridlock. Worse than the worst rush hour morning in St. Louis all those years ago.

So I asked Bryce what happened to all of the other teachers who used to help with the drop offs. He looked at me, puzzled, and said, "They still help. Now they wait for us inside and tell us to get to class." So my morning gridlock is caused by teachers who don't want to freeze their buns off.

I get it. I really do. I understand that Texans are constitutionally unsuited to cold weather. But if they'd stay outside, I promise, I'd bring them hot chocolate on the really cold days.

At least I don't have to wear pantyhose while sitting in this gridlock. Most mornings, in fact, I'm still in my pjs. Being a SAHM still does have its perks.

--originally published 2/1/07