16 June 2011

Preggy Brain Did it to Me


Writing Prompt #5.) Barefoot and hormonal...describe an incident that upset you when you were pregnant, but now looking back makes you laugh. For Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writers Workshop


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The days of being barefoot and pregnant are over for me. Three babies is my lot.

But let me take you back to those first hormonal months.
Pregnant with my first, I was still working with naughty teenagers.
I spent my days on the phone, or in my car, finding kids who wouldn't go to school.
Arranging education for them, hooking them up with interviews, enrolling them in courses.
On one such day I picked up a lad in South Auckland and took him to a job training course in Mangere.
We pulled up outside, I parked on the street, we went in. No drama.
The interview went well, the lad was accepted onto the course, he caught a ride home with the van.
I returned smiling to my car, content with a job well done as I fished in my bag for my car keys...


My keys weren't there.
And neither was my car.
Where did I park it?
I was sure it had been right out front...

As I stood on that sidewalk, wracking my hormonal brains, I scrabbled desperately for my non-existent keys.

I must have parked the car somewhere else, I thought, trying to remember where...
Until I saw the broken glass all over the road.

Cold sick dread washed over me.
My car had been stolen.
My keys weren't in my bag because I'd left them in the car.
Some opportunist had walked past, seen the keys hanging there, smashed the window and driven away, leaving me stranded and pregnant in South Auckland - the other side of the world from where I lived.

Returning to the Training Centre, I asked for help, trying to hold back my tears.
It turned out the thieves were boys from the course who had absconded and been reported missing.

I called the police. They told me I'd have to come in to the nearest Police Station to make a report - 10km away in Manurewa.
"But my car has been stolen!"
"Well then, you'll have to walk..."
"But I'm pregnant...!" I wailed, bursting into tears.

They relented and took my details over the phone.
My boss was kind when I called him; he told me to get a taxi home, at his expense.
My husband was kind, though he made more than a few snide remarks about Preggy Brain...

Later they found the car, abandoned out by the airport.
Tagged with spray paint, brakes and tyres worn down from all the burnouts those boys did, a "bong" stashed in the glove box. They sure took it for a ride, those naughty boys.

I stopped working soon after that, and I doubt I will ever return to that field of employment.


These days I can laugh about it. Ha. Ha. Ha.
I blame Preggy Brain.
Preggy Brain locked my keys in my car.
Preggy Brain left me stranded in South Auckland after I hung out the "COME TAKE ME" sign to a bunch of naughty schoolboys.


I have to laugh. Because my dear sweet hubby trots that story out every time I forget something, lose something, or do something dumb... which is fairly often.

"But I was pregnant..!" I wail, as if that should explain everything.
"Ahhhh yes," he retorts, "But what's your excuse now?"


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{PS Have you read my story about what I did Before Kids? Here it is again: My Part in the Story: The Miracle of CLS}


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21 comments:

Meghan Maloney Photography said...

I don't think I've heard a better preggy brain story! Isn't it great that with the passing of time you can tell this story with fun and humour that might not have been quite as obvious on the day!

meg said...

Great story, can't believe I haven't heard it before! Poor pregnant you, it must have been horrid. x

Rachel said...

Simone - you are a darling...with a cheeky husband! ;-)

I just read your CLS story - thanks for sharing. I usually pop in to Equippers Church with my friends Tomo & Lisa when I visit Auckland.

Rachel

jacksta said...

great story. Its a bummer we cant blame it on preggy brain forever...

Sima J said...

I'm pretty sure with every child you loose a little more of your brain. The way I figure it, you have more responsibility and thinking about another extra person all the time taking up the space in your brain that used to do things like remember to take the car keys out! ;-) - sounds like something I'd do!

PaisleyJade said...

Oh dear - those naughty teenages taking advantage of a poor preggy brained lady! Don't worry, I still feel like I've got a preggy brain... I need to create a new name/excuse for my condition!

Unknown said...

I can just hear your accent through this post! I have done crazy things like touching a 10000 volt electrified fence at 8 months!

Elizabeth said...

Oh - preggy brain never leaves you, my Mum assures me of that! And she also warned me that with each baby it gets worse... so there is your excuse now!

Lex the mom said...

I was reading & waiting to see if your preggy brain would have done what mine may have done, had I let it. I was waiting to see - "I got home & the car was in the driveway..." cause my preggy brain would have forgotten that I didn't drive or I took the bus or it was a car pool. Yours was definitely better than mine!!

Alison said...

Oh dear, that was terrible!!

I think I still have remnants of preggy brain :)

Jen said...

did you use to work for the truancy office???

tut tut to those boys

Dee said...

I have had preggy brain my entire life.

RedWriter said...

That really made me smile. I found that when I was pregnant I was more focused from trying not to have preggy brain. It's now that my daughter is 10 weeks old that I am dizzier than ever. :) x

Keagan said...

Great story! My son is almost 6 months old and I think I still have preggy brain :)

Anne said...

I still have preggie brain and my last kid was born 8 years ago! You poor thing...I would have been bawling if that happened to me even if I weren't preggers:(

Jessica said...

OH NO!! Preggy brain is the WORST! Glad they at least found your car!! Stopping in from Mama Kats. Hope youll check out my blog as well.

www.spitupchronicles.com

alicia said...

guess that's what happened to me too. lol.

Lindsey said...

Pregnant or not that would be upsetting!

Cam - Bibs and Baubles said...

i think preggy brain is a valid excuse. after that - i blame mommy brain!

Gabrielle said...

Haha! Wow! Poor you! I'm glad you can look back and laugh about it now. I'd probably STILL be mad about it!

Anonymous said...

I love your writing style, it's clean and fresh, but very visual.

I have done LOTS of unbelievably forgetful things—too many to write here—but unfortunately none can be blamed on pregnancy. :)

Over here from Mama Kat's . . .

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