I think I did it

.

Today was crazed at work, as usual for Sundays. Sundays are the worst days in retail, it's when all the mean people come out. They are they mean ones who don't go to church I always laugh.

I'm starved, haven't eaten all day, I stop and pick Ash up (she sent a text message at 8am when she got to Chanells stating it had been a long night and she was bunking up there) When I get home, priority #1 is dinner. It seems I have impressed Larry with my bathroom etiquette that I can pick the place. I'm starving for Japanese hibachi, we go to our favorite place HB Steakhouse. All of us, Hannah & Ashley both. Ashley is telling Dad about her night, I ask her, did you think we would live up to our end of the bargain? No she replies. She said she was trying to think of a cover, then remembered I had told her she had no curfew. Our only condition is let us know where you are and don't come home stinking drunk.

We stop by Walmart, it seems I have made it through to June without replacing my day timer and it is starting to show. I get frazzled when I know I have appointments coming up and not knowing exactly when. It makes me crazy.

Face soap, daytimer refills, thank you cards. Larry heads to the electronics, Ashley to the cds, Hannah & I have the cart. I don't notice the weird guy, Hannah does. We finish up what we need and head back to find Larry & Ash. Looking around at the dvds, the weird guy is there. He's covered in tattoos and has his labray pierced. Now I notice him, Hannah is sticking close to me. "That guy is freaking me out" she says. "Let's go" He goes ahead, we pass him looking at the juvenile bedsheets.

It comes out of my mouth, like I didn't even think about it "Maybe he saw your picture on the internet" Hannahs blood runs cold. I was halfway joking, halfway trying to scare the living shit out of her. It worked. We walk to the books, I'm looking for the lion and the wardrobe for her. She is not leaving my side. She sees Larry, "go get him" "I'm not going out there, you go get him" I go, flag Larry down, Hannah looks like an animal that has just been let out of a cage. Eyes darting back and forth. This has scared her, it was just close enough to the actual event and the guy was freaky enough to fit the part.

Checkout lane. The lady in front of us is making the cashier ring things up one by one. Literally. She has a thick notebook that she has written the prices on and is verifying every one. "are we price checking?" I ask, halfway joking, halfway not. There really should be a store for OCD (DISCLAIMER I mean no offense to OCD this is a joke) Another lane is free, we dart over. Hannah is telling Larry about the freaky guy. Then, there he is again, staring, he is staring so hard at us, he doesn't even notice Larry giving him the "this is my family and if you even breathe this way I will kill you" look. Then he sees it and walks away again. Larry said he didn't know if he was staring at me or Hannah. We walk out, Larry behind us making sure we are alone. I tell Hannah, "we really do know what's going on Hannah, we know what crazy people are out there, they go to those kind of websites looking for kids" I continue, kids that are unhappy with their parents, little children, you just never know.

By the time we get to the car she is in tears. I back off, she got the message. She is terrified. She is looking back as we are driving making sure no one is following us. Comes home and straight to the phone with Stephanie. Still crying. I wasn't trying to scare her to death, just trying to make her understand why I don't want her riding the moped around, or why it is important to call, or any of the dangers that face these kids everyday.

So, I think I did it, and I think it will stick. Hannah is learning, hopefully.