Help me, help you.

Jerry McGuire was in TV the other night, as I read and Mark Chanel surfed and so the title, as you know, is a quote from that movie. A little round about but appropriate here I think.

Before leaving for school this morning, we called R's best friend from grade one who has been away all summer. Like a-l-l summer. Her friend is the youngest of three girls and is a great kid, so are her sisters. We pass by their house on our way to school so thought it would be nice to meet up and walk together. Well, their mom was not happy at all that we called at 8:30 to see if they wanted to meet up in ten minutes. She was too busy getting them ready to talk. No worries. I don't quite get that, given my youngest is a toddler prone to hulking out, and we were, but whatever. As we pass their house, we see them leaving so we wait but then they go in/out a few times and then disappear into the garage. Not sure why anyone would drive to school on the first day if they can help it. Again, perhaps this is completely necessary. But when we get to school we see her friend arrive, her friend with whom she walked home with every day last year, who came to R's party and L's, her friend is so nervous and distraught (and likely exhausted from a long car drive home from the cottage last night, cuz why come home earlier? But a cottage owner I am not so perhaps there are mysterious rituals that need to happen on labour day-night that I am unaware of.) that she can barely crack a smile. This poor kid, who helped my kid gain some courage and independence last year, is devastated to learn she is not in class with any of her friends including my R - who at this point is surrounded by a group of girls and boys she knows, because when she tried to talk to her best friend, her friend was too anxious and upset to let go of her mom to socialize. So, "mom of the best friend", who's kids are older then mine and quite competent and nice because I've had them at my house, maybe next year, when your daughter's friend offers to meet up and walk to school with her, you should take thirty seconds to agree (or respond to the email from two weeks ago) so her transition back is even marginally less stressful. My kid did fine and I'm sure yours adapted but seriously lady, I'm not trying to bond with you, our kids are friends. Help me, help you.