The Babysitter

 Originally Published Dec. 2012

(low voice) "Someone's been sleeping in my bed," said the Papa bear.

(female voice)  "Someone's been sleeping in my bed, too" said the Mama bear.

(High baby voice)  "Someone's been sleeping in my bed and she's still there!" exclaimed Baby bear.

(normal voice)  Just then, Goldilocks woke up and saw the three bears.  She screamed, "Help!"  And she jumped up and ran out of the room.  Goldilocks ran down the stairs, opened the door, and ran away into the forest.  And she never returned to the home of the three bears.  THE END

 

“There! My little guys…… we’ve read three stories – one for each of you – and now it’s time to go to bed” I said.  “It’s a good thing your mom had you all ready in your PJ’s – now all you have to do is brush your teeth.”

“Ahhhhh, Mary…. Do we have to?”  

“Ya, ya, ya.  You guys are so good at stalling for time.  Come on…. Hop to it!”

Okay.  Just a few more minutes and I’ll have those three in bed and off to lala land.  Then, I can relax a little.  Three little boys sure are a handful. 

I quickly tucked Donnie, Mark, and Paul into their beds and with one more little peck on their cheeks, declared the evening DONE!  I put away the toys and cleaned up the bathroom.  Then, I turned on the television.  Friday night TV is usually very good and I was anxious to watch I Love Lucy and Dragnet.  I just love the way Lucy always gets into trouble and how Sergeant Joe Friday wants ‘just the facts, mam, just the facts.’ 

“Hey, it’s 10:00 and time for the news.  Boring!!  What else can I do?  I couId read the paper, I guess.  Boring!! Or, do my homework.  Ya, right! But, I read the paper and do my homework, anyway.  

Now, it’s midnight and I don’t want to go to sleep.  I pride myself on being a great babysitter and a great one would never fall asleep on the job!  Good thing I brought a couple of movie magazines along.  Photo Playand Modern Screen are my favorites.  Oh, look!  A full page pull-out of Tommy Sands!  I just love him!! 

After one hour of reading about Debbie Reynolds and Liz Taylor, I’m getting a little upset that Mrs. Stang isn’t home, yet.  She didn’t tell me when she’d come back.  Since my mom and dad are probably asleep, it’s probably not a good idea to wake them up – just to let them know I’m not there.  

Boy, Mrs. Stang must really be having fun with her girlfriends.  Her husband is out of town and she’s had the responsibility of taking care of those kids on her own – so, it’s good she can get out of the house tonight.  Well, I could give Mrs. Stang a break and do the dinner dishes. Especially since there’s nothing on the TV but a test pattern.

Wouldn’t you know it?  As soon as the dishes are done, she comes home.  Wait a minute…….. her friends just dropped her off and left.  How am I going to get home?  She can’t drive me and leave the kids alone.  And, I’m sure she doesn’t want to wake up her kids from a sound sleep just to drive me in her car.

(Mrs. Stang’s voice) “Oh, Mary….. I just realized that I don’t have an easy way to get you home.  I’m so sorry!  What should we do?” asked Mrs. Stang.

“Well,” said I.  “I just live across the street and then over the railroad tracks.  I could walk home.  Look – it’s a beautiful spring starry night ---- the moon is bright ---- I can easily see my way home.  Hey!  My dad left the porch light on and I can see my house from here.  You stand outside your door and watch me until you see me flick the porch light on and off a couple of times.  That’ll be my signal that I made it home safely.”

My goodness!  That idea sure sounded good to both of us.  So, I grabbed my homework and my teen magazines, and as I left through the front door, Mrs. Stang handed me some change from her purse as payment for my night of babysitting.

Okay.  Maybe this isn’t such a great idea after all.  It’s 1:30 in the morning.  It’s not as bright out as I thought and, hey!,  I’m only 15!  Well, all right, I’ll be 16 in two months, but that doesn’t make me any less scared. And, I really don’t live that close to Mrs. Stang.  I have to cross her yard, her street, and then struggle through the deep ditch surrounding the tracks, cross two sets of tracks, another ditch, then my driveway, yard, and the long sidewalk into my house.  And, did I mention that it was 1:30 in the morning?  And, I’m only 15?  And, I’m scared?

Well, I can do this.  Mrs. Stang is watching me, right?  Turn around, Mary.  Make sure she’s there.  I wave to her again and she waves back.  I’m not going to show her that I’m frightened so I’ll just walk across her yard – like I’m real cool with this.  I stop and look both ways before slowly crossing the street.  

…. And then… in a flash, I’m GONE!  I run as fast as I can – falling into the deep ditch.  What was I thinking?  There could be snakes and mice in here.  So, get up, Mary! Don’t be a scardy cat!! I continue climbing the wall of the ditch and suddenly, I’m on top of the tracks.  Forget about “acting cool.”  Who cares if a train is coming.  I don’t even look.  I’m running on adrenalin now.  I hurry over the tracks and wham! I’m in the deep ditch again.  No time to stop now!  Get out of there, you little wimp!

Wow,  I’m going so fast I could win the Olympics in the 100 yard dash!  I fly by my mom’s flower garden and scamper up the steps into my front porch.  I then flick the porch light a couple of times so Mrs. Stang knows I made it home.

Whew! I made it!  Safe and sound!  My heart is pumping so fast!  I drop my homework and magazines on the floor and as I head up the stairs to go to bed, I open up my fist and find five quarters.  That’s right.  I got paid $1.25 for babysitting three little boys for five hours! 

I couldn’t help but think of the closing lines of the Goldilocks story I had read the boys earlier in the evening:  “And she jumped up and ran out of the room.  Ran down the stairs, opened the door, and ran away into the forest.  And she never returned to the home of the three bears.  THE END”