The Morning-Go-Round

Posted on by mjlstories

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The Morning-Go-Round

Quick bath, slurp of tea, working face on, three pairs of shoes on the mat. Sergeant Major toddler bellows, “Now, Mummy!”  and it’s big sister to the rescue (Vest and pants already – good girl!) with silly faces, Teddy dance. Soar downstairs, post stubby legs into highchair.

Porridge spoon, percussion spoon, conducting spoon; toasty soldiers, toasty triangles, great big Mummy toast. Coats on (“Sleeves gone to Scotland, Mummy!”), strap in, brake off, big push and they’re off! Blast of autumn, scudding clouds, worried face asks, “Did we beat that clock, Mummy?” Mummy shakes her half-dry hair and laughs. “Sausage, we smashed it!”

M J Lewis©2015

To misquote a phrase, cats have owners, toddlers have staff. With my son turning twenty, this is for me a piece of historical fiction. To anyone for whom it is contemporary fiction I will say it’s exhausting, but it doesn’t last forever. Also, these quiet autumn mornings, I’ve realised that, whereas I used to think I was helping my children get ready in the morning, they were actually the ones helping me.

For a merry round of 100-word Friday fiction please try this link, on any day, including indeed Friday. Congratulations are due to Rochelle on leaving behind a job and taking up a vocation. All the best Rochelle! Thanks also to Ted Strutz for the photo.

37 thoughts on “The Morning-Go-Round”

  1. I don’t have kids, but I love this. It’s like being there. I especially like: “Porridge spoon, percussion spoon, conducting spoon” and my heart-felt admiration goes to all the parents who have the patience to get through this. I couldn’t do it. I also love the style, it’s so immediate, makes me want to hurry, but also laugh.

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    • Thank you! I really did want the ‘being there’ effect, so glad it worked for you.
      This week on the train to work, surrounded by school kids and commuters, I’ve been reading Chekhov stories for the first time – and suddenly I’m standing in a stairwell of a Russian apartment building more than a century ago, listening to the sounds, smelling the smells…Thought I’d try a modern version – gotta aim high! 🙂

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    • You’ve found me out! I’m a sucker for style – I don’t go in for the ‘show not tell’ writer thing. Show or tell, or a combination, is fine by me, as long as it’s done with style!

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    • The Mums and Dads hand them over gratefully to you and go off to work for a rest….
      That’s a heck of a lot of shoes! (Actually 64 is a great number – a square and a cube. Can you tell I teach too? Maths to 10 year-olds nowadays.)

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    • Sometimes harmonious and sometimes discordant and usually somewhere between – could sum up family life!
      Actually conducting a symphony orchestra sounds like fun! Thanks for visiting.

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  17. Dear MJ,

    I remember those breathless mornings. Love the last line. Great story for the prompt. 😉

    Thank you for the congrats, I love it that I’ve left the job behind to take up a vocation. That works for me.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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