Ford recognized our car as it idled in the parking lot. He raced towards me, half-smiling with uncertainty– was I was in the car? or not? But when I arose from the car, his expression relaxed into a joyful open smile, his stride lengthened, and this all released with a spring the bundled cords of my anxiety. He was happy!!! He rmet me at the fence, and I hugged him, holding him snug even in the hundred-degree heat. Behind him: two tentative little girls. One came forward and tapped my arm, with eyes on Ford, and asked me if it were okay for her to kiss him before he left school. I didn’t give Ford a chance to answer for himself; I was too amused with the cuteness. Another girl stood patiently in line behind her for a kiss, I think. But Ford squirmed out of all this loveliness and bolted towards the gate.

Getting in to the car, he told me this was “the best school ever” and asked to return tomorrow. And then began to eat the peanut butter and jelly sandwich he’d forgotten to eat when he was at lunch.
…and there’s a whole hour of writing I’d love to indulge myself in, to sort of respond to all of this on my own time. But I’m about to pass out. How did I ever find the time to write, months ago? Where is my time going? There’s a black hole in my schedule…