Deja Vu Wednesday

Do you ever get that feeling that life is repeating itself? That no matter what you do, you're forced to relive the cycle that you thought you had just muddled through?

Wednesday morning dawned with so much promise. The plan was to go to the library and return the books that were weeks overdue and find somewhere fun for the boys to play. Instead, Benjy woke up with a sore throat and pleaded with me to take him to the doctor. I was reluctant to make the appointment, thinking it was just a virus that would pass with time and rest, but I conceded that if he was asking to go to the doctor, he must have really felt bad.

As soon as I hung up the phone, Benjy perked up instantly and said, "I get stickers! I feel better."

"Benjy, do you just want to go to the doctor to get stickers?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

"You know we can get you stickers without going to the doctor."

He just smiled at me. I groaned. I was hoping this wasn't just an elaborate scheme to score stickers. I had already made the appointment, so I decided we'd keep it anyway.

The doctor checked him over and confirmed that his throat was "a little red." She ordered a strep test, just in case, even though she thought it was probably just a virus. Five minutes later, she returned with positive strep results and a prescription for an antibiotic. I had conflicting emotions. I was happy that there was an official diagnosis that could be treated and guilty that I had questioned the little guy's motives. He did, however, feel better once he was clutching two Superman stickers.

Since our library books were still grossly overdue, I decided to go ahead and return them before heading home. I was counting on that only taking a few extra minutes. As I was parallel parking at the library, which, for me, is a feat unto itself, I heard the same high pitch drilling sound coming from the engine of the SUV that had landed it in the shop less than a week before. I dropped off the books and headed straight for the dealership without even bothering to try to make an appointment. Forty-five minutes later I had left the SUV in their hands once again and was back in the same loaner car cruising towards Jacob's school.

The difference between deja vu Wednesday and my horrible day last week was that this time I was armed with experience and a plan. This time I didn't panic. This time I didn't cry. This time I didn't forget my car phone charger. And this time, I knew how to dial the consulate driver's number.

By 5 p.m. I was back in my vehicle and headed home to put poor Benjy to bed. The new pump was simply in need of a new washer and had been an easy fix for the dealership, although I would argue that since my SUV spent most of last week with the dealership, there really shouldn't have been anything needing an easy fix. Oh well. I'm just happy I could take it all in stride this time.

But it better not happen again.