Screaming always happens when you are in the shower or on the loo.
I don't know why this is. I suspect when not in the bathroom, one will hear the precursor to the screaming and maybe find a way to avert/ prevent it. Or maybe the wee buggers wait until I am firmly ensconced, soaped up or having a good poo, before they start the shenanigans. Either way, the only time I seem to hear serious, "help me" screaming in my house -and it is not often- is when I am in the bathroom, doing something Private and Important.
Like this morning.
There I was, mid shower, all soapy with me hot-pink shower cap on me head, when I hear screaming. I pause to try and figure out if it is real screaming? Maybe the TV was turned up too loud or the kids are fighting? ...and I hear "MOM! MOOOOM! HELP!" Oops! It is real screaming.
So I jumped out of the shower, threw a towel around my soapy self, and followed the screams.
Joe was on the couch, clutching his back, crying hard and hyperventilating.
"What happened"
"I fell"
"Let me see"
So I tried to examine his back without dripping on him too much, because I didn't reckon the dripping would improve his disposition much (like it could disimprove much right then, but you know...). And in the background, my mind is racing: Joe doesn't usually act like this. This could be serious, I may have to take him to the ER... ...and I'm not dressed! I can't go like this! I wonder if I can change first? But I can't leave him. I could ask Grace to bring down clothes and change here. Fuck! the curtains are open! Hello neighbourhood...
I managed to establish that Joe had fallen backwards when running downstairs and had taken a tread hard to his upper back. He had been winded and had had a scare, but I didn't think it was serious. I got him an icepack and then sat with him for a bit, talking to him and calming him down. When he appeared calmer, I -who had been listening to the shower still running and who was still uncomfortably soapy under the towel, asked him if he would be OK for five minutes while I rinsed off and got dressed. He said yes, so I did just that
...and emerged downstairs; clean, dressed and ready for any emergency.
Except it had already happened.
Why IS that?
PostScript
Through all this, Grace was touchingly concerned for her brother (some of the screaming had been her calling for me). While I was dressing, I heard her ask if he was OK (and him screaming at her to "get out of here and leave me ALONE"). Then, when I revisited him, dressed and capable (it is funny how clothes, -even sweats- make you feel so much more capable, isn't it?), she came back to him and asked again, ruffling his hair (which he hates) and telling him he would be OK. AWWWWWW.
Later, I took her aside and tried to explain that Joe had been upset and had lashed out at her. She said. "That's OK mom." I know when I am hurt I go to my room and I only want my Mom ...I mean I only want you. I have screamed at Joe when I was hurt" (Joe later confirmed this. "So? She screamed at me!")
Wow! I am getting insight from all sides this week! Excellent!
You've got great kids, OSM.
At least you didn't have depilatory all over your legs. Or weren't dying your hair. Yes, they could plan their emergencies to be even more inconvenient.
Posted by: yanub | July 17, 2009 at 02:31 AM
I can think of another time emergencies tend to occur...
Posted by: fridawrites | July 17, 2009 at 10:41 PM