May 3: Queen for a day

I can’t believe it, but I was actually asked to go on another one of Jack’s field trips. Geez, they really must be desperate. You might remember the last one didn’t go so well because of inappropriate behavior of some of the chaperones. These chaperones shall not be named because they know who they are and they were just having fun and what’s the harm anyway, it’s not like they started a fire at the fire station or embarrassed the firefighters with their depravity.

My memory might be fuzzy on that one.

So yesterday’s field trip was to the Children’s Museum. For you Portland old-timers, the Children’s Museum is where OMSI used to be. There’s no weird blue planetarium thingie anymore. And remember the jet outside the building? Now it’s a covered eating area. Weird. Katie and Jack go to the Children’s Museum regularly, courtesy of Grandpa & Grandma, but yesterday was my first time. I was completely and thoroughly impressed—it’s noisy and crowded but totally fun.

The joy began as we were standing in line to get on the school buses and the four boys in my charge asked what they were supposed to call me. I told them “Queen” would be just fine. Jack thought that was ridiculous and said he’d call me “Jen” (evidently much less ridiculous). But the other three boys actually called me Queen all day long. They would run from one section to another, yelling back at me, “Queeeeeen! We’re going over here now!” If being “Queen” doesn’t show you exactly the kind of fabulous day I had, then are you even paying attention?

I won’t be asked to chaperone again, I know that. But it has less to do with my behavior this time and more with the fact that there are no field trips left in the school year. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. Right, Sabrina?