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You have to see the sex act comically, as a child. |
Friday, September 29, 2000
One year ago: Hallie's Birthday
Two years ago: Family Dinner
Once again, I volunteered to pick up Jack's daughter H---- at the train station and bring her with me up to Bellingham. This makes sense; otherwise Jack would have to do a lot of driving. (No, his ex-wife doesn't see her way clear to meeting halfway, or taking turns.) But the train doesn't run very often, which makes it awkward. I'd love to get this stuff arranged ahead of time, and I'd much prefer that H--- get to Seattle earlier in the evening. I'm going to lobby for this.
Out of a misplaced optimism, I'm still preparing for the weekend as if I can leave straight from work, packing my bag and putting it in the back of my car in the morning. But Jack couldn't find out what the arrangements would be until after I got home. I ended up watching my newly-restored cable TV while I waited.
At last Jack let me know that H---- was taking the eight o'clock train. That meant she'd arrive in Seattle around ten. Oops! Her mom missed that one, so put her on the Coast Starlighter, which would probably arrive around eleven. I still wanted to drive north after I picked her up, rather than spend the night at my place.
* * * * * * * *
I sampled some TV shows that I've never seen before. I especially liked Grosse Point, a parody of shows like 90210. I had heard that the production company had been forced to tone it down a bit, because Aaron Spelling (and Tori Spelling) was angry. So they removed story elements about one actress only being cast because she's related to the producer.
I also, for the first time ever! watched Sex in the City. I liked it -- it's very cheerful and fun. But Sarah Jessica Parker looked unnaturally thin, scary even, when compared with the footage of her in the opening credits. I'd certainly watch it again.
* * * * * * * *
Finally it was time to drive down to the station. I got there just a few minutes after the train had pulled in. But where was H---? At first I thought she just hadn't gotten off the train. I looked all over. When it was clear that she wasn't there, I made sure that this was the train I was expecting. Yes, it was. I called through the grille of the already-shut ticket office. "Hello? Hello?" I asked the man to look up and see if she'd bought a ticket. There'd been some confusion about exactly which train she'd be on, so mayb she hadn't gotten on either one?
I called Jack several times through all of this. He tried to reach his ex-wife, but without success. He was very concerned and upset, and I was worried. What if someone had made off with H---- in the few minutes before I'd gotten to the station? What if something else bad had happened on the train?
Finally, it was clear that there was nothing to do but go home and wait.
* * * * * * * *
I drove home. Jack called me a few minutes after I arrived. H---- had just called him! She'd been asleep on the train, drat her. The cleaning crew had discovered her. "Um, you've got to get off now; we are going to move the train to the mechanical yard." I was so relieved! I should have kicked up a bigger fuss at first, and insisted they search the train right away, but it had seemed so likely that she'd never boarded.
So I drove back down there again and brought her home with me. I refrained from buffeting her about the head and shoulders. It really was too late for a two-hour drive by this time. Instead, I settled H---- on the mattress on the living room floor again, then went to bed and got out my new Bujold novel, Brothers in Arms, and stayed awake reading it for almost as long.
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