At about 5, she told me she felt fine, so I had to make the decision on whether or not to let her go with her class. Her brother had the chance when he was in grade 4 to sing at the barn, and I wouldn't want to deprive her of the same honour, what to do? We decided that it probably wouldn't be any harm to go, sing, and leave. So we bundled up and headed out.
On the way, we picked up another classmate (I told her mother I would be fine taking her with us as she had no desire to see a hockey game), and hit the road. Last night we finally got snow - and this city shut down. What should have been a 15 minute drive to the arena took almost an hour. Tecumseh Road, normally flows at 60kph, was crawling along at 20. Nasty drive.
The kids were supposed to be a the community rink doors no later than 6:20 - they were locking those doors after that. We pulled up at 6:18. I told my son to take the girls in and get them settled backstage, then go find his seat while I park the car. The WFCU is a nice place, but parking was kind of an afterthought. I was closer to Lauzon Road than the arena, and in the snow I couldn't see where I was heading without a bloody compass. It took 15 minutes to walk back to the arena, then to find my seat. I finally sat down at 6:58, the game started at 7:05.
Everything started fine, there was a banner ceremony for the returning World Junior Players (6 of them), then the kids sang the anthem. Unfortunately I was on the far side of the place with a crappy camera, so I didn't get a very good shot of them.
The game started with the usual fanfare. About 10 minutes later, my daughter and my other charge found us, and sat down. The girl we brought along had never seen a live hockey game before, so she was of course, full of questions. Like a kid in a candy store. I asked my daughter how she felt, and received a thumbs up, so the game was on. Saginaw opened it up, scoring twice in the first 8 minutes. Not a good sign for the reigning Memorial Cup champions, or the returning World Junior Silver Medallists! They were playing sloppy. My daughter's friends all found their seats - the school had an entire section set aside for us.
When the period ended, my daughter informed me she had to use the bathroom. I tried to relate to her just how many people were currently doing exactly that, but she insisted and started climbing over me.
Too late.
She puked.
Right there, in the stands. All over herself and the coat of the poor kid in front of us. He wasn't in the coast at the time - he headed downstairs without it.
Now, I know what I felt like as the parent of a sick child at a hockey game, I can only imagine the embarrassment of my daughter. Standing there, covered in her lunch (which was something orange, apparently). She was on the verge of tears as I grabbed whatever I could to wipe the mess off this poor kid's coat, while apologizing to everyone around me. We got out of Dodge. Quick.
On our way down, the women in front of me is talking to an usher explaining something along the lines of 'clean up in aisle S'
When we got downstairs, I had to find a bathroom to clean her, but it was intermission. The medic's office was conveniently placed in our path - so we beelined for it. The medic took great care of us and helped me clean her up, wash her glasses, etc. After signing a form indicating they didn't just watch the game all night, the medic offered more help - she sat with the kids while I would trek out for the car. On the way out the door I told an usher what had happened, and he told me to bring the car right up. Off I went, about a 20 minute round trip. When I got back the girls were ready at the door with the medic. With a wave we loaded up and took off.
The only good thing about leaving when we did was not fighting the 5,000 other cars heading for the exits at the same time at game's end. Traffic was lighter going home. We dropped the friend off within a half hour, and then came home. My daughter headed straight for bed.
In the arena, the friend offered my daughter a piece of mint candy cane - it's supposed to sooth stomachs as her mother told me. What I didn't realize is that one became four. Much to my insistance to the contrary, the girls were sitting there snacking on them. I didn't realize it at the time. I'm fairly certain I know why she tossed her cookies in the stands.
So that's my story of a little girl and a hockey game. Today, she's still home sick, and I'm sitting with her. I hope she feels better soon.
And to the little boy who's coat left with some additional features, I AM SOOOO SORRY!
I will never know who it is, but I will always have the guilt.
Cheers.
PS - I'd love to post the pics from last night, but someone lost the camera transfer cord, again.
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