Get Off The Train - Goethe, Gravy & Guitars

One In The Eye

The Butterfly Effect & The Bad Mother

Monday morning and the usual routine;  I'm putting on my makeup, 'T' is cursing and shuffling through some papers on his desk, the dogs are lying in the tiny hallway between us taking up all the floor space, 'M' and 'J' are upstairs 'getting ready' for school, 'A' hasn't surfaced yet.  There are crashing and thumping sounds coming from the boys' bedroom.  Nothing different to any other weekday morning.  The thudding stops and an intermittent mewing sound trails down the stairs.  All is quiet until the dogs jump up in anticipation.  'A' shuffles past barely conscious, 'morning, what's that noise?' I ask.  Through puffy eyes 'A' looks at me and makes a sound that I translate to mean, 'I don't know'.  Off he shuffles to walk the now expectant and excitable dogs.  The mewing sound continues.  'M' is that you, whats the matter?' I shout........Nothing..... I plough on with the foundation.  It happens again, 'T' tuts and looks at me frustrated 'what's that noise?'  I decide to investigate, as I approach the top of the stairs 'J' emerges from the bedroom, 'it was an accident, I flicked him in the eye with my shorts' he says sheepishly as he sidles past me and down the stairs.  I walk into the room to find a red faced 'M' holding his hand over his eye, 'It hurts, it's burning!' he cries.  I move his hand and look at the eye, he can barely open it.  I take him to the bathroom and put a cold flannel over it.  'Hold that there for a minute and then try and open your eye, we need to get moving, we are going to be late'. 'T' pops his head around the door, 'You OK mate? Just blink a bit and it'll be alright, I'm off babe - got a lot to cram in today'. 

An hour later I am sitting at my desk about to start work, my phone rings, seconds before I answer I know who's on the other end, 'hello, this is Matron from the Boys School, I have your son with me, I'm not overly concerned but.......'  A conversation ensues, a quick chat with 'M' and then, 'I'll be there in about 10 minutes'.  I take 'M' home and leave him sitting on the sofa.  Half an hour later I am back at my desk trying to remember what I had been about to do the first time when my phone rings.  It's 'T', 'I just popped back home and thought I ought to tell you we are on our way to A&E, you can't mess around with eyes can you?'  Two hours later I get another call, 'he has an abrasion on his eyeball, anaesthetic eye drops mean that he can't blink properly for a few hours and he has some antibiotic ointment.'  What can I say?

A few years ago a fellow pupil trod on 'M's finger during sports day.  It was the first thing he told me when I arrived.   I looked at said finger but saw nothing untoward 'Wiggle your fingers' I said and he summarily played the air piano, 'they seem fine' I said assuredly.  A week later and about one day before we were due to go on holiday, 'M' told me his finger still hurt.  I had a look.  I don't know much about broken bones but I guessed that the top of the finger being bent sideways was probably not a good sign.....