To begin this story, we must start at the beginning. Sydney woke up this morning asking if we could go to Kaleidoscope. I have spoken of Kaleidoscope before. It's a FREE (this is important later on in the story) activity space run by Hallmark where kids can go paint, make puzzles, and hang out in a black light room.
So we decided to go to Kaleidoscope this afternoon and had a grand old time.
We had such a grand old time that we decided to stay at Crown Center for lunch. After a brief scuttlebug as to where the girls wanted to eat in the food court, they finally decided on Mexican. Each girl ordered a taco, and I was so proud of them because they each politely asked for lettuce and salsa while most kids, including some 25 year olds, only like meat and cheese. Meriahna even asked for guacamole. The lady behind the counter told me that it was extra, but I thought, "Hey, you only live once. Pile it on! How about some nachos on the side as well!"
The girls grabbed their drinks, and just as Sydney was asking if she could have Orange Crush, I reached my hand into my purse and realized that my wallet wasn't there. We're talking no wallet, no credit cards, no cash or change to speak of. Visions of my wallet sitting on my desk at home flashed through my head. I hadn't needed it all afternoon because Kaleidoscope is FREE. Through my red-faced shame, I mumbled something about how this has never happened before, while the lady behind the counter eyed me up and down as if I did this all the time. I talked to the manager and convinced him to let us eat under the agreement that I'd go get money and bring it back ASAP.
Completely embarrassed, I sat down with the girls amid the stares of the other customers. The girls politely ate their tacos, fully aware of what was going on and loudly discussing how we'll have to go ALL the way home and come ALL the way back to pay the man. I quickly flashed through possibilities in my brain of people who would be near Crown Center from whom I could borrow money. On a long shot, I called Katie to see if she was at work. She wasn't, but while I was accepting her "That sucks," Meriahna leaned over to me and very calmly and politely asked, "Can I have another taco?"
I turned my head toward her in slow motion disbelief. "Meriahna, we have no money. We can't even pay for the taco you already ate. How am I supposed to get you another taco?"
"What...I'm hungry..."
Needless to say, Meriahna did not get another taco. We drove thirty minutes home and thirty minutes back to pay the $12.27 bill. In the end, I didn't steal the tacos, but I was pretty tempted to stuff those kids meals in my purse, throw one girl under each arm, and hightail it out of there, Philadelphia style.
So we decided to go to Kaleidoscope this afternoon and had a grand old time.
We had such a grand old time that we decided to stay at Crown Center for lunch. After a brief scuttlebug as to where the girls wanted to eat in the food court, they finally decided on Mexican. Each girl ordered a taco, and I was so proud of them because they each politely asked for lettuce and salsa while most kids, including some 25 year olds, only like meat and cheese. Meriahna even asked for guacamole. The lady behind the counter told me that it was extra, but I thought, "Hey, you only live once. Pile it on! How about some nachos on the side as well!"
The girls grabbed their drinks, and just as Sydney was asking if she could have Orange Crush, I reached my hand into my purse and realized that my wallet wasn't there. We're talking no wallet, no credit cards, no cash or change to speak of. Visions of my wallet sitting on my desk at home flashed through my head. I hadn't needed it all afternoon because Kaleidoscope is FREE. Through my red-faced shame, I mumbled something about how this has never happened before, while the lady behind the counter eyed me up and down as if I did this all the time. I talked to the manager and convinced him to let us eat under the agreement that I'd go get money and bring it back ASAP.
Completely embarrassed, I sat down with the girls amid the stares of the other customers. The girls politely ate their tacos, fully aware of what was going on and loudly discussing how we'll have to go ALL the way home and come ALL the way back to pay the man. I quickly flashed through possibilities in my brain of people who would be near Crown Center from whom I could borrow money. On a long shot, I called Katie to see if she was at work. She wasn't, but while I was accepting her "That sucks," Meriahna leaned over to me and very calmly and politely asked, "Can I have another taco?"
I turned my head toward her in slow motion disbelief. "Meriahna, we have no money. We can't even pay for the taco you already ate. How am I supposed to get you another taco?"
"What...I'm hungry..."
Needless to say, Meriahna did not get another taco. We drove thirty minutes home and thirty minutes back to pay the $12.27 bill. In the end, I didn't steal the tacos, but I was pretty tempted to stuff those kids meals in my purse, throw one girl under each arm, and hightail it out of there, Philadelphia style.
Oh no! You should have called us! We are 5 minutes away and would have rescued you in a heart beat!
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