Monday night Dan took the ice cream gift card and K out for an expedition. The boys finished dish washing early, and I asked them how they’d like to spend the evening. Ben said he’d like to go for a long walk, M immediately asked if he could come too, I reminded them to take a flashlight, then asked if I could come. They blinked a little, then said sure. I was surprised too, usually I’d spend alone in the evening time working on a knitting pattern or submission.
Ben was in the lead, he usually runs alone, so he knows some bits of town I’ve never even driven through, including which corners are easier to cross, and which sides of the road have sidewalks.
We turned through the old, fancy cemetery off of North Main street (another place I’d never explored). The 1913 monument to fallen firemen was beautiful. We wondered who the statue of the woman wearing a chiton, carrying a book represented, she didn’t have any hagiography I recognized. Then we realized that a bathroom was a long way home and began to walk quickly past the “no restaurant parking, police take notice” signs, I still barely knew where I was, it was like visiting another town.
About 1/3 of the way home, I saw a friend out gardening and asked if her bathroom was available. Suddenly, I was back to being the handy grownup.