The Idiot Plot

The idiot plot is a storyline in a move where the audience is saying, "C'mon, you  idiot, the bomb is in the car", or, "she is just marrying him because she thinks you don't love her", or, "if you pick up the phone, the car warranty salesman will know you're home". Last week, I had my own idiot plot.

Lest the haze should fall over my days as a young mother leading me to think I was perfect, I have to record this incident. When my girls are mothers and they make a mistake, maybe they won't feel as bad.

Last week I started to get a sore throat. I thought it was just allergies. Then it got worse. I thought I'd take a peek in the mirror and I noticed two large bumps at the very very back of my mouth where one of my tonsils would be if I had tonsils. I dismissed them as super bad canker sores and went about with my life. After all, I don't have tonsils. And I didn't have time to be sick. Chris was super busy at work and we were getting ready to leave town and we had promised the girls we would participate in a few CFD events.

Fast forward several days. After much misery and crankiness on my part, my "canker sores" have finally healed and I can once again swallow without pain. But now Jane starts to get cranky. Three days later, I know something has to be wrong. This is as bad as colic (and I know colic like nobody's business). She's screaming all day. So last night, as the screaming hit its peak, Chris volunteered to take Jane to Healthreach. By now, anyone reading is thinking, "C'mon, you idiot, Jane has strep throat and you gave it to her!"

Tomorrow she'll be better, noncontagious and ready to conquer the world again. But I gave this sweet innocent kid four days of misery because I was too busy to be sick.

Jane, I owe you one.