Oh Mama

You never know what your children will remember and take with them into adulthood. Sometimes it is whole days or events, and sometimes it may just be a single moment. For a child at the school I was subbing at today I am sure it will be the outfit her mother wore as she walked her into school.
My assignment this morning was to keep parents who were unable to read or too hung-over to know where they are, from dropping off their children in the clearly posted and marked bus lane area. Surprisingly, I had to point out the signage to eight cars. As I stood directing traffic a car pulls into the one of the six parking spaces designated for various school staff.
I watch the happenings here as there were clearly children in the car. I am confused as to why the car is there, and I am preparing to ask her to move her car. Then the driver got out. This woman turned and looked at me and I stopped dead in my tracks. She needed that space. She needed to make the quickest entrance and exit she could possibly make.
Death had nothing on this woman. She looked like the swamp thing crawled out of the trailer park. Her hair was standing on end, and she had on nothing but a dirty, ratty pink bathrobe with leopard slippers. The bathrobe was the wrap around kind, not the zip-up kind. I said a silent prayer that she was sober enough to tie a tight enough knot. No one should have to see this. She proceeded to take her child (I'm assuming it was her child) by the hand and drug her to the front doors of the school.
All heads turned as she cut through the line of cars that had come to a screeching halt for her. Actually, I don’t see how walking in front of a moving car could have made her look any worse.
Public service announcement!! Parents please hear my advice: your children will remember the embarrassing things you do. If you are too drunk, stoned, or hung-over from the three day weekend to remember to get dressed, DO NOT WALK YOUR CHILD IN, use the drive-thru drop off.