Back to Work

My wife went back to work today.

Since her surgery in June, she’s been out on disability. Tearing into someone’s chest cavity to work on their heart is pretty traumatic to their muscles and bones, which need time to heal.

She’s been doing physical therapy, walking every day, going to a special cardiac rehabilitation exercise course twice a week and otherwise being careful about what she picks up. She’s been working hard to prepare herself for her return to work, though for quite a while we basked in the luxury of knowing that it would be some time before she had to go back.

But time continued its relentless march, remorseless and indifferent, to drag us to this day. It was strange going through the old motions, getting up at 4:30 and helping her get ready, making breakfast and coffee and being sure she had her cell phone and work badge and everything. It was almost surreal waving goodbye as she drove off into the pinkness of the approaching dawn.

I got a message from her that she got to work on time, was able to park in a good spot, and managed to perform her first procedure without any difficulty.

Michael asked where his mommy was. I had to explain that she was at work. I don’t think he grasped what I meant, since Mommy hadn’t been to work for the whole summer. Just the same, he got his morning shower, got dressed, had breakfast and we played just a bit before I hauled him up to the bus stop.

I’m not sure why, but it’s almost like I have to drag him there. He shuffles his feet and hangs back four paces unless I have a good grip on his arm and can scoot him along.

We aren’t on great terms with the rest of the kids at the bus stop, the ones from the twin cul-de-sacs where Michael’s bike-riding friend lives. It feels a bit like we’re interlopers. And though there is no explicit exclusion, I can’t help but notice that they’ve all got little conversations going on amongst themselves, with their backs to Michael. And they seem to be very protective of “The Line”. This is the queue that forms for getting on the bus. The first to arrive at the stop in the morning begins the line, and each successive kid takes his or her place behind the last one. On our first visit to the bus stop this year, we made the grand faux pas of trying to place Michael at the front of the line, being utterly unfamiliar with the protocol. Eventually the bus arrives, and the kids get on. They all sit in the same seats every time, so the point of maintaining the sanctity of the line is lost as soon as they reach the first step of the bus. I explained to Michael that it doesn’t matter whether he’s first or last in line: he’ll get on the bus, and he’ll get the seat he likes either way.

From all points of the compass, the less punctual kids come running. One of these is Michael’s friend J. The bus driver is kind and waits, lights flashing and doors open, for the stragglers. Eventually the doors shut and the bus rumbles down the street, a grey cloud of half-spent Diesel wafting behind. Michael waves at me from inside, making sure to make eye contact.

As I head back home, I happen to glance down the street at another house, where Michael’s friend E lives. I smile a little thinking of his recent play date there. She had been in his class last year, and we only discovered at the end of the school year that she lives two doors down on the other side of the street. He had been clamoring to play with her all summer, but every time we stopped by, nobody was home. When we rang the bell on Sunday, though, it was a different story. E’s dad came to the door, and was delighted to see that E had a friend calling. He ushered us around the back of the house, where we discovered a small, lush forest glen, complete with tall trees and trailing vines, a verdant arbor covering a cozy patio and a two-story playhouse. Michael was instantly enchanted, and immediately entered the play house.

Then E came running out, a huge smile on her face. She ran into the play house and disappeared. Her dad said “Funny thing, she was so crabby a few minutes ago, but when I said Michael was here, her mood changed completely.”

Michael had established another neighborhood friendship. It only took all summer to get it started.

But summer is over, and we’re now fully back to the compulsory aspects of our life.

There’s still a bit more sunny and warm days ahead though… I hope we can make the best of them.