Leave well enough alone?

It's officially Spring Break and I'm glad to have a whole week off from school to spend with the boys! Also, glad not to have to wake up in the morning at 6:00 a.m. in a deep, sleep-deprived fog only to rush around like a fool, getting bottles ready for Ben, organizing my school bag, etc. No, I don't do those things at night...remember-- I'm a procrastinator!

Let me tell you all another thing I am glad to have a break from: the traffic police at our school. I use the term, "police" very loosely because they are certainly not members of law enforcement, and don't have any authority over anyone as far as I know. They hold lighted, orange, traffic-directing sticks and are strategically placed at intersections on the way to school with one of them even blocking off the first entrance to the parking lot so you have to drive all the way around (waiting in an incredibly long line of minivans) to the second entrance. These traffic police are a new fixture this year during our morning arrival at school and have been in place all schoolyear, but I've only gotten to experience them for the last few weeks since I've been back from maternity leave. I guess they are necessary for a smooth drop-off at this point because the number of kids at our school has topped out at 660 students and many, many, many parents are driving their kids in the morning.

Now, I have been yelled at three separate times by these traffic Nazis and was even chased for a moment by one of them. I don't consider myself a fantastic driver, but I am, by no means, reckless enough to be yelled at and/or chased down. It's a matter of miscommunication. They are not exactly clear with their signaling.

First offense: My first day back to school, when I did not expect to see these folks out there and almost drove through the intersection, but I stopped in time. That one was my fault.

Second offense: Another day when I came up to the same intersection and stopped, waiting to be instructed on what to do. He pointed to his stick and yelled, "Watch me...GO". OK, I'm not sure what that meant.

Third offense and by far, the most disturbing: I drove up to the second intersection, kind of stopped, but thought he was waving me on, so pulled up farther only to see a huge, yellow bus and my life flashing in front of me. I kind of pulled way over and kept going, then saw traffic Nazi running behind my car, pointing to his stick and yelling, "What's wrong with you?". I stopped the car, put down the window, and yelled back, "I don't understand what you want me to do. You're not being clear enough." He said, "I thought I was pretty clear." I said, "Well, obviously, you weren't."

Later that day, at lunch, several of the other teachers echoed my disgust and bewilderment (is that a word?). So, it's not just me. I am happy to announce, though, that since that time, I have not been subjected to any more reprimands. Maybe they had a traffic dude meeting and devised ways to be clearer with their directions as a result of my confrontation or maybe I've just been lucky and haven't gotten confused again.

I guess there was a traffic problem at our school. Issues with traffic flow or whatever. Of course, I'm most concerned with the safety of kids, parents, teachers, bus drivers, etc., but I have noticed that as a result of our new system, I am later than usual and there's never anywhere to park. Does the phrase, 'leave well enough alone' apply here?