Tie a Day, Number 85

Last Thursday I wore this interestingly subtle tie. The design on the tie is quite intricate with paisley, but the similarities in the colors allow the tie to be a bit more laid back than some of its brighter counterparts could ever possibly pull off. Not really a memorable tie, but a good choice for the day.

As I had mentioned, the day before, on Wednesday, was Amy's birthday. Being prepared for anything, or at least I thought I was, I asked her where she would like to go for her birthday dinner. She told me she wanted to go to the Cinema Cafe and see Alice in Wonderland with the kids.

It sounded like a great plan, so we rolled in there early enough to get a good table. As soon as we walked in the doors, Sam says he doesn't feel well. I really didn't give it much thought because we had just had cake, and he is 6, so sometimes I try to use my Jedi Mind Trick where I tell him that he feels ok, and I wave my hand like I am casting a spell on him.

Five minutes into the movie, he runs off to the bathroom with Amy and gets sick. I realized at this point that I really need to perfect my Jedi Mind Trick. Obi Wan makes it look so simple.

After Sam and Amy returned to the table, I became confused. I had forgotten all about the movie, but instead was worried about what to do next. Is Sam really sick? Was the cake bad? I ate two pieces and the rest of the family only had one. How in the world was I going to get home with a sick kid in my new mini van? If everyone else got sick too, what would I do then? Do I have any plastic bags in the vehicle?

When Sam made his second trip to the bathroom, I knew it was time to get him home fast. I grabbed Sam and told Amy to ask her mom to bring her and the other two kids home when the movie was over. Being a gambling man, I figured that I had 20 min to get Sam home before he would no longer be able to contain himself.

The trip time from the Cinema Cafe to our house is approximately 15- 20 minutes. The entire time home Sam was having intense stomach cramps while moaning and screaming in pain. Sitting behind me in his booster seat, I tried to hold his hand while I drove home as he writhed in agony.

It is an oddly helpless feeling when you can't do anything but drive and tell your child to practice slow, deep breathing exercises to keep his stomach from cramping. All the while you are driving as fast as you can, avoiding all bumps, sharp turns or sudden stops.

He made it.

While Amy's birthday dinner may not have been what was planned, it will certainly never be forgotten.