EMERGENCY!

No one likes to get those calls: the unexpected ones.

I was teaching right along explaining the stinging dialogue between Mercutio and Romeo to a class of freshman students when the phone rang.

Marian's voice was calm, but I could hear the thick waver and knew she'd been crying, "Honey I'm having an emergency and I need you to bring your keys down to the library. I've locked my keys in the car and Leo's in it."

I ran through some scenarios quickly before I spoke. "Okay, I'll leave right now." I tried to sound confident and purposeful and above all, calm.

My main problem, as far as I could ascertain, was that, like usual, I'd ridden my bike to school. OHS is on the south end of town. Our house is across the river on the north end of town. I first had to go home to get my car keys, because I don't carry them with me when I'm on my bike. The next obvious problem was getting there quickly.

I gathered up my gloves, my leather jacket, and my helmet; told the students I had to leave then, and I exited the room. Almost immediately I ran into an assistant principal. I explained my dilemma and asked that he take over the class or find someone who would. He immediately offered the use of his pickup, and though I thought about objecting, I quickly thought better of it and accepted.

I drove home and retrieved the keys, then drove back across the river about halfway between the school and home to the city library where Marian stood holding Jack by the rear passenger side door of our car.

Poor Leo was buckled in his car seat looking out at Mare and just crying in frustration fear and confusion. Immediately Mare's face eased into relief. I had them unlocked and we both loved on Leo for a bit to ease his distress. I kissed them all bye, and drove back to school.

I spent the rest of the afternoon explaining to each class the "emergency" I had to attend to and assuring them nothing truly "emergency" happened.

I feel as if this incident will be proof positive to some of the people out there who would argue I need to drive a vehicle instead of pedaling my bike. I don't know about that. Yes, I was able to accomplish this task much more quickly, but I feel I would still have accomplished it nonetheless, even on a bike.

Lastly, I'm relieved this did not occur in the brutal heat of summer. That might have truly been an emergency.

All's well that ends well!