Don't Leave Home Without Your Shoes

This evening Ava and I went to a government assisted living Senior Center that houses low income seniors. We signed up to volunteer our time through Hands4Hope by bringing some dinner items and serving a nice meal to the residents.

We showed up right on time and I turned around to ask Ava if she was ready to go.  That is when I noticed that she was not wearing her shoes.  We have been having a hard time with her shoes lately.  A few months ago we showed up to a soccer game and Ava wasn’t wearing her soccer cleats.  There have been many times where I have gotten into the car and noticed that Ava was all buckled up and ready to go … without her shoes!

So I screamed in disbelief, “where are your shoes?!”  I threw out a profanity on accident. Ava did not scold me for the profanity because she knew she really effed up.  I was really mad.  We had driven 20 minutes to get to the Senior Center and I did not have time to go home and get her shoes.

So what did I do? I had to drive to a shopping center and buy her some new damn shoes.  I ran — literally ran like a crazy person – to Famous Footwear where I ran like a crazy person to the “clearance” section, grabbed a pair of converse and paid for them.  Then I ran – like a crazy person – back to the car.

I gave them to Ava and what did she say? “Mom, these look like boys shoes.  Did you buy me boy shoes?”  The girl has Chutzpah.

We served the Seniors a full Thanksgiving feast.  Ava got to hear stories of people who weren’t as fortunate as she and I are.  I saw her swindle a few jolly ranchers when she thought no one was looking.

Ava really stole the show by bringing her piano music and playing a bunch of Christmas songs on the keyboard.  She was really shy to begin playing in front of all the people she did not know, but once she got started she had fun with it.  A couple of nice ladies bellied up to he keyboard and sang along while she played.  Afterward, the residents of the Senior Center told me that they were sure she would be a famous pianist one day.  One woman went so far as to say I should contact David Foster, the famous music producer. Older people just love watching young people do almost anything.

One man said, “can you believe how that girl plays?” And then this ornery man says in response and disbelief, “Yes! What’s not to believe?  Her parents pay a lot of money so she can have piano lessons!”  BAM!

To wrap up, Ava redeemed herself by playing piano to the Seniors.  Kind of.  Does anyone else have a problem with their kids going places without their shoes?

Until next time, the mothership is signing off.