Guilt. Ur doin' it right

No way in the Ell-Hay. Who calls at eight in the morning? Family members and people with emergencies. I mean, it isn’t as if eight is an ungodly hour or something, but it’s common courtesy to at least wait until ten. Well, it is in our house. This morning I happened to be up with my parents who were both up and about, getting ready for my dad’s doctors appointment. The phone rang, and I was fairly sure it was my sister, Ashley, who started school today. She has a habit of calling the house a lot, no matter what hour it might be, like I said: family members and people with emergencies. But when I checked the caller ID, it didn‘t say Ashley. It was Stew Breadsticks, a member of our church. His name is not, in fact, Stew, but that’s what we’ll call him in my blog. He’s a fairly old guy, and I really like him because he always seems to remember everyone and always gives me these little bible cards with my name on it, the meaning and a bible verse. I have like five of them. He’s really sweet. But I could have used the Lord’s name in vain and other profanities at him this fair morning.

It started out like this:

Courtney: “Hello?”
Stew: “Good morning, who is this? Is this Courtney?”
Courtney: (in my ‘elderly people voice’) “It sure is!”
Stew: “I thought that sounded like you, Courtney! So, heading back up to school - to Simpson soon?”
Courtney: “Mhmm. In ten days, I think.”
Stew: “So… do you know how you’re getting back up to school?”
Courtney: “Um. My parents are taking me.”
Stew: “…”
Courtney: “…”
Stew: “Are you parents really up for that, Courtney?”
Courtney: “Um… I don’t know?”
Stew: “Courtney, have you ever taken a bus?”
Courtney: “Yes… it wasn’t a very… good experience…” (Really, it wasn’t)
Stew: “You know they can take all of your stuff and you up in a bus, don’t you?”
Courtney: “Yeah… but…”
Stew: “I don’t think your parents can handle that drive. Can they?”
Courtney: “I… don’t know…”
Stew: “I know a bus isn’t the best, but can you parents really - economy or health wise - take you back up to school? With the car accident and how things are, do you really think they’re able to take you back up to school?”
Courtney: *speechless*
Stew: “You should really think of your parents and what’s best for them. I know you love them, but they can’t take you back to school. You’ve taken a bus before, right? For Christmas? What did it cost you?”
Courtney: “Um… $100 and something round-trip…”
Stew: “You’d only need a one-way ticket!”
Courtney: “Yeah… I don’t really know the cost…”
All the while pantomiming at my mother to save me!
Stew: “How many stops are there? Would you leave out of Riverside?”
Courtney: “Uh… yeah… to Redding… like ten stops or something…”
Stew: “That’s understandable…”
It’s understandable.
Courtney: “Yeah…”
Searching the house for my father to save meh!
Stew: “I know you love them, Courtney, but you need to think of them. You could take a bus, there are other options. It’s a long drive to Redding, you know.”
And a longer bus ride.
Courtney: *speechless*
DAD! MOM! And, finally, my Dad. Oh, I love you, Dad. Thank you for accepting the phone!
Dad: “Hey, Stew.”
Stew: “Bob! How’ve you been!” etc. “So… I heard you’re taking Courtney up to school… are you really up for that?”
Dad: *speechless*
Stew: “…”
Dad: “Well, we’ve decided to take her.”
Stew: “Yes, but do you think you’ll be able to make that drive in your condition? And Carol?”
Dad: “Well, we’ve decided to take her.”
Stew: “Last time I spoke with you on the phone, you didn’t sound like you could make it up. Between you and Carol’s physical therapy, do you really think it’s a good idea?”
Dad: “…”
Stew: “I was telling Courtney that you should send her up on a bus.”
Courtney: *speechless*
Stew: “They can take up all of her things, you know.”
In the background, I wave towards my mom: “Tell him they offered me drugs and alcohol! TELL HIM! TELL HIM! HE WANTS TO SEND ME UP ON THAT BUS! ON THE DRUG AND ALCOHOL BUSSSS! TELL HIM!”
Dad: “Well… I think we’re going to take her.”
Stew: “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
In the background, my mom whispers: “The hotel is already booked~”
Dad: “Yeah… but… uh, I think we want to spend the time with Courtney. You know, to get away as a family and spend some time together.”
Stew: Without missing a beat, “When did she first come home?”
Dad: “Uh, May.”
Stew: “So, let’s see… that’s four whole months you’ve had with her, right?”
Dad: “Yeah.”
Stew: “So, you’ve already spent a lot of time with her already.”
Dad: *speechless*
What do you say to that?
Stew: “She can take all her things up in the bus.”
Dad: “Yeah, you know what. We’ll pray about it and take it to the Lord for prayer. Thanks, Stew. But you know, we have to head out actually. I’ve got a doctor’s appointment this morning.”
Stew: “No problem, Bob. Thanks and God Bless."

o_o Seriously?

I can’t believe that actually happened. A member from our church, who we love, actually tried to get my parents to send me on a bus with all of my things up to Redding. Alone. By. Myself. I mean, he must have called at EIGHT IN THE MORNING for that express purpose. So, he must have thought this out at least somewhat ahead. What did he think I was going to do? Hitch a ride from the Greyhound Bus Station with all my belongings to Simpson? Rent a bike? How did he think I was going to get groceries and other things? Get a piggy-back from Night Crawler to Winco? Hitch hike to World Market?*speechless* I was so angry, but now I’m just stunned. He actually tried to guilt me into going it alone with all my stuff in a Greyhound. Never mind that I swore never to board another Greyhound again if I could help it.

It was a low blow. My parents really aren’t in ideal health to take the drive up and down to Redding. I know that, but what other options do we have? Greyhound? Puh! I couldn’t bear to part from them at a smelly bus station. Clearly Stew is sure I’m being selfish (which I suppose is true), but I’m only 19! I don’t have the moxie to make it without my parents and he knows it. I’m stunned. He had valid points, but it was none of his darn business, you know? It’s hard enough to have my parents doing this without Stew telling me, indirectly, what an awful daughter I am for letting them do this. Honestly, I don’t think I could handle going up without my parents. And I don’t think my parents could handle not taking me up. We don’t really have a choice, attractive as Stew’s alternative is…

What a morning, folks, what a morning.

Toodle Pip.