Daughter #2 with her Dad last June before prom
Daughter #2 called me at about 9:45 P.M. from college. As we were talking she sounded like she was breathing a little harder than normal so I asked her if she was coming down with something. The conversation went something like this:
Her- "No- No I'm fine... why?"
Me- "Well you sound out of breath"
Her- "oh, that's because I'm on my way to the gym to workout."
Me- "oh... who are you going with?"
Her-" oh by myself cuz my room mate is sick."
Me- "By yourself? Stefanie it is 9:50 P.M."
Her- "yeah well no one wanted to go, so I decided to walk by myself- I'm almost there."
Me- *agitated* "Are you out of your mind? Walking to the gym... ALONE... @ night."
Her- "It's ok it's really well lit."
*thinking but not saying... are you out of your
Me- "That is really not safe, you shouldn't be walking across campus alone @ night, do you have your whistle etc. with you?"
Her-" Mom I am fine...I have my keys if someone would try anything and I'm here- gotta go." *click*
I was beside myself upset...
For a smart girl she does some really dumb things sometimes. What is it with kids? They think they are invincible- it won't "happen" to them...and furthermore if all she has to protect herself is her keys... by the time they are close enough to grab her her keys will be no match for any guy. Stefanie wears like a size 1... she is thin- very fit, but no match if someone wants to hurt her.
She later sent me a text msg. saying she found a friend @ the gym and they were going to walk back together. I was still upset... so in the meantime till I heard back from her (AROUND MIDNIGHT) that she was safe in her dorm I informed her that along with the Valentines care package that in the next few days she would be receiving another package containing pepper spray which she can attach to her key chain- I even ordered the hot pink one so it would look "cute". She told me she couldn't believe I had ordered it. I made her swear to me that she would never- ever walk across campus alone at night again. She swore she would not-and she better not be lying to me.
I think I am going to develop an ulcer and gray hair...the gray will enhance the bags I will get from not sleeping...
Thank you for the heads up of what I will be experience in a few short months with Squirrel. I cannot even begin to imagine how sick with worry you were waiting.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is exactly something that my daughter would do to. [Come to think of it I used to walk down to my fav' restaurant at 2 am in DC when I was in college. Alone.] I think we were all stupid at this age.
Take care. and I hope she never does this again.
I have seriously had this exact conversation with my mom a few years ago...I probably wouldn't do it now, but I remember thinking then how silly it was for me to not be able to do things at night...It's great to know that moms care about such things; and now that I have a child of my own, I can relate so much more.
ReplyDeleteI sent you an e-mail telling of my experience with a stalker while I was in college. I have never admitted it before but luckily I outran the sucker because there was no way I could have battled him. I was 5'4" and 122 lbs back at Springfield College in 1958. With the element of surprise on his part and logical thought went out the window. Flee was all I could do. This experience has been tucked away for years but the fear I now feel for our Stef is real. DO NOT ACT IN A RECKLESS WAY. This was NOT a SMART move. Luckily we have a hair cutter in the family who also can color the grey!!! I don't know about the bags under the eyes. Ice/cucumbers maybe??? Hang in there big red...I survived and so will you. XOXOXO Mom
ReplyDeletelaaa deee daaa, I've never done that same thing to my mother.... Since I tell her everything, I've never kept the scary things away from her. Oh well. It'll help her.
ReplyDeleteI think the pepper spray is a great idea. But she'll be fine, I'm sure.
ReplyDelete