Late Start

Maybe we had them, but I honestly have NO memory of having a late start in all my years of public school in Bayonne, New Jersey.  For those of you not in the loop, a late start day is when the weather is crap and the roads are crap but they aren't crappy enough to call a snow day.  Instead, the superintendent puts faith in the city to plow the roads enough to get the kids to school.

Sometimes late starts mean we come in at 9, sometimes at 10.  Sometimes what starts off as a late start turns into a snow day (the very best day of all!)

It was Tuesday and we had a 10 a.m. late start.  The roads, apparently, were no bueno, but they would apparently be bueno enough for the buses to get the kids to school.

I was up at my usual 5:45 time, relaxing with Joshua because I had a leisurely four hours to get ready.  Bliss.

In retrospect, thank goodness it was a late start, because I was on the phone nonstop from 8 - 10 when classes started.

The first call came at 8. It was the hospital social worker.  She had my number from my student and was calling to see if I was a resource that she could pass on to CPS.  I said I was.  She reiterated the reasons CPS was called and told me that my student TOLD her she wanted the baby to go home with me until she felt she was ready.  O M G.

The next call was at 8:30 a.m.  It was the CPS worker.  He apparently had already been to the hospital to see my student, had gotten my number, and was calling to see if we would take the baby THAT DAY.  He said under no circumstances would the baby be going home with mom, and that they were going to investigate the household further and there was a possibility that neither minor mom NOR her 9-year-old sister would be allowed to live there.  Would I consider taking them ALONG with the baby?

I explained that I was willing to take the baby, but I did not have the space or the beds for two others.

The next call was from The Agency, confirming that I had space (remember, I still had Joshua who was only 17 months old at the time) for the infant.  I said I did.  She also reiterated that CPS might remove mom and sister.  Would I be willing?  I again explained I didn't have beds. She told me she would BUY us beds for the sisters to sleep in.  I couldn't even finish the conversation because CPS called again.

In between calls, I was calling Darryl at work telling him all this.  I was telling Tiernen too (because guess who would have to watch them while I was at work?)  

I don't know how I got dressed and got my makeup on and made it to school by 10.

At 2:45, The Agency told me the baby was in their care and asked what time I could come get her. I explained I was not allowed to leave school until 3 and that it would take me some time to go home, put in the infant car seat, and then drive to The Agency (the roads, by the way, were still crap).

"Okay, well, she's here..."  She did not seem pleased that I still had things to do.

I was there by four.  She was so tiny, she seemed dwarfed by the infant car seat.  She could barely eat an ounce of milk.  Even the newborn clothes were way too big for her.

When Darryl came home from work, I presented him with the baby.

There she was, a tiny Asian girl.

"Behold," I said, "a unicorn!"