If You Have a Sore Throat Please Don't Tell Her

For about two weeks, the Matron and her husband have been preparing for this Thursday and Friday, the two most scheduled days of the decade. Because they must pick both a junior and senior high school (Scarlett and Stryker) the past month has been a whirlwind of school tour and pedagogical pitches. Pile onto that plays, school, work, voice lessons, hockey, debate, computer club, and play dates.

Thursday was the big debate meet, huge work meeting for the Matron, evening conferences at Stryker's school (can you say all A+?!!! DYING of pride) and an evening show for Scarlett. Friday started at 7:30 with the first of three high school tours, culminating in a day of shadowing at a prospective high school for Stryker, tossing in an after school play date for Merrick and a dance for Scarlett. Throughout the week, there was also Merrick in the mix --who can drive the six-year old when everyone else is peering into some school, driving to a performance or schlepping to some lesson? Don't forget that the Matron and her husband also have full time jobs (cough, cough). Amazing how many hours of work you can squeeze into a single afternoon.

Sooooo. . . the Matron woke at 6 am on Thursday morning ready to go 48 hours at full throttle. Which she did until 1:47 pm later that day.

Ring! Ring!

Matron: "Hello?"

Stryker: "Mom? It's me, Stryker. I'm in the nurse's office and I have a fever of 101. I'd really like to go home."

Matron: "What do you mean, "it's me, Stryker"? Don't you know that I will recognize your voice for the next 50 years?"

Stryker: "Do we have to have this particular conversation when I'm nearly dying?"

No. She immediately retrieved him, only to pick up Scarlett and Merrick at school later, and be subjected to this:

"MOM I AM DYING. MY WHOLE BODY ACHES AND I DON'T THINK I CAN WALK TO THE CAR."

Merrick: "My tummy huwts and why awe my eyes all wed?"

Thus, the much anticipated 48 hour whirlwind disappeared to be replaced by a whirlwind of a different nature.

Last night was a circus of Kleenex, cough drop, thermometer and pill. With a fever of 100, Scarlett dragged herself to her show at The History Theater at 7L30 pm, weeping the entire way there. The Matron felt HORRIBLE but both she and her actor knew that no understudy -- especially a novice to theater -- should go on with half an hour notice.

Scarlett soldiered on. Stryker missed his debate (sorry, team). Stryker missed all the school tours. There was no dance for Scarlett. The Matron volunteered today in Merrick's classroom without her son around to witness her heroism. Instead, the Matron has spent the past 24 hours ministering to sick children. . . all three propped up on the couch with ginger ale and video instead of at school (and this did indeed screw up the whole concept of parents and employment).

This afternoon? The doctor! The results are in! Three cases of strep (there are three children so you can match that up), in addition to one bronchial infection (Stryker) and one case of pink eye (Merrick).

Really. Don't you wish you were here?

But the biggest drama, as it so often does, centers around Scarlett whose current show features all teenage actors and one adult. Scarlett has strep--is contagious. And is a centerpiece of a show where there is hugging, touching and contact. That child could theoretically take down the entire cast with her virus.

For the first time in four years, Scarlett is missing a performance. Her understudy is THRILLED when not puking in a hallway wastebasket. That young teen understudies THE ENTIRE SHOW. Yes -- she has memorized every line and movement in a two hour performance. The Matron wishes this beautiful girl-- who has never been in a professional theater show before -- godspeed on a night she probably won't forget.

In the meantime, she is off to administer sympathies, drugs and mama's best medicine everywhere - TLC. All three children are languishing on various couches, exhibiting various degrees of Need. Let's just say that the child who has only one diagnosable illness has by far the most HEIGHTENED set of symptoms.

"MY KNEES ARE THROBBING LIKE THEY'RE BROKEN. AND THEN THERE'S THAT WHOLE THING ABOUT MY LEFT EAR TWITCHING. PLUS MY ELBOWS FEEL LIKE THEY MIGHT HAVE AN INFECTION IN THE SKIN. WHERE ARE YOU? I NEED A SEMI-WARM LEMON WATER WITH ONE SQUIRT OF HONEY, YELLOW YARN AND MY MEDIUM KNITTING NEEDLES AND THE PIECE OF PAPER I LEFT ON THE COUNTER TWO WEEKS AGO, THE ONE WITH TESSA'S PHONE NUMBER.

CAN YOU GET CANCER IN YOUR EYEBROWS?"

The parents are relying on wine.

And here's a peek at the show Scarlett won't be in tonight. Yes, she's the wee one moaning and being ferried.