Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Not-So-Absent

The phone call concerned her. Somewhat. Please call the school to inform us as to why your son is absent today. Or something like that.

"He didn't go to school today?" She sent the text to both of his siblings, knowing they were home with him when she left for work.

"What? I thought he did. Where is he?" his sister responded.

"That's what I am trying to figure out," Mom responded. 

She knew panicking was premature. But still.

"Well, I just walked into the house, and he's not here," his sister texted back.

She called his brother's phone. He picked up, but just as quickly stated, "Mom, I can't talk right now. I'm at work." 

Click.

She called a second time. She was at work too, but needed to settle her mind. 
"Mom," is all he got out.
"Did you take your brother to school today?"
"Yeah. He was late. But I watched him walk into the school office," he whispered.
"That's all I needed to know," she quickly said.

Click.

Now, she was confused. It didn't make sense.

She looked towards the students, doing artwork, throughout the classroom. Painting. 

"Class," she interrupted their energy, "I need to make a phone call. An important one. Just continue to work, but please lower your voices." 

They did.

"Hello. Your Son's Middle School," the secretary greeted her.
"Hello. I received a call stating my son is absent from school today." She made herself remain calm.
"Yeah. It shows here he has been recorded as absent," the attendance recorder said. No concern in her voice.
"Okay. Well. My older boy said he did drop him off at school this morning. He should be there. Will you please check? Ease my mind?" 

I didn't want to yell. 

No point.

"Hold on."

Maybe two minutes later, her voice returned on the line.

"The 7th graders are at lunch right now. I am unable to locate the teachers. The bell rings in about five minutes. I will check when everyone is back in the classroom," is all the secretary gave her.

Five minutes passed.
Ten minutes passed.
Then fifteen.

She called her daughter.

"Call the school back. See if he's there," she blurted out. Her voice a whisper.

Click.

Not a minute later, she received a message. 

"He's there!"

Sigh.

                                        ***

"How was your day?" she later asked her not-so-absent son.
"Fine. Nothing exciting happened," he said, his voice monotone. Bored.

10 comments:

  1. My heart was in my throat reading this. I've had phonecalls from my daughters school like this & I panic until I get the call that she's been found.

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  2. Hate those call, use to get them frequently from the school as the kids bus use to run late and they would miss roll call, heart always skips a beat when the school calls...glad all was OK

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  3. Glad he was found. They need a better system for if the kids are running late.

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  4. How could they just "miss" counting a PERSON?

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  5. I don't have good news for you regrading this. My kid is in COLLEGE and they are STILL calling me if he's absent or if they have a lockdown or a crime occurs near campus. As if I could do anything about it but worry. I live 100 miles away! Not only that, their machine calls my cell phone, emails me and leaves a message on my home phone! Blahhhh.

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  6. Nothing like a little bit of panic to get your day going! sheesh! :-)

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  7. So glad he is okay. I would be panicking too.

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  8. Hi Daphne - thank you for visiting Heroines with Hearts. In answer to your question there, the book coming out in February is my second with Whiskey Creek Press, my first came out last June. You can find more details on my website http://paulamartinromances.webs.com.

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  9. That's the stuff that gives us gray hair. Thank goodness he had an uneventful day.

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  10. Thanks, everyone, for your input and concern. All is well on the home front. Life goes on.......

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