My two kids and I woke up early to get ready to head to Port Authority to catch a bus to with Fresh Air Fund for each child to stay with a host family in New Jersey.
My 11 year old son will be staying with a family that had an 11 year old son. Since he is in a female dominated family, he loved the idea of having a "brother" for a week. Also my son is an artist and writer and so is the other 11 year old. He would also get a chance to swim, play tennis (a new interest) and go geocaching.
My 7 year old daughter would get a "sister" for a week. They would get to swim and go to a beach house. My daughter has asked me in the past if we could have a weekend home so I am sure she will love the idea of a beach home. She would also get to have a chance to have her own room. We currently live in a small two bedroom in Brooklyn and she shares a room with her 11 year old brother.
Both kids were excited but my daughter started getting anxious when she realized she would have to TAKE A BUS. When she was 5 she went to a charter school in Brooklyn and she took a school bus. She had a couple of experiences with a bully and she was not ready to go on another bus with a bunch of children. She readily tells anyone who will listen about the bully who SAT on her when she was little. I tried to reassure her by saying there will be staff on the bus, it is a short ride AND her brother would be there.
We arrived at 9:40 for our 10 am appointment time and there are TONS of people. I awas checking to see what kinds of families are here. I am a selective mom so I have to see if there are people who are too rough around the edges. There was definitely a variety of minority families. What I also saw was a closed off gated area with the staff and children and one line outside the gated area with parents and children so of course, I get on line.
After waiting 20 minutes I finally ask the staff what is going on and I learn:
1 - There is a 9:30 bus leaving before us and those families were here since 7:30.
2 - They are still waiting for 2 kids for the 9:30 bus.
2 - The 10 o'clock families probably won't leave until 11:30.
3 - There are three lines that parents should get on and of course I was on the wrong line.
I move to the proper area and get on line and help a couple other families to get on the right line. I see a mom in a portable lawn chair and she tells me that she learned from last year to bring a chair. Luckily I am the 6th family in line after a pregnant mom pushes her kid to skip me. What was I to say, she was pregnant and rough around the edges.
Once my turn comes, I am asked where is their medicine. My son has bad allergies so in the spring it is all about clariten for allergies, eyes drops for irritated eyes and albuterol for if his asthma flares up. I had the albuterol because their day summer camp just asked that he bring it but they also wanted singular. For my daughter they wanted clariten and albuterol. She NEVER uses any of these medications and I forgot they were ever prescribed. So the young lady told me to go to the front desk and tell them.
I had the feeling they would not just allow me to send them without the medicines so I decide to go to Duane Reade to see if I the prescriptions were still in their system. I usually get prescriptions from Walgreen and I realized that they are merged. So we ran across the street to Duane Reade. With our bulky bags we headed to the basement pharmacist and waited while the pharmaceutical staff had their own conversation. I felt the need for a drink.
Finally I was helped by a middle aged Muslim woman. It felt like hours for her to type in their names, put in the new prescription card and tell me if she could do it and how long it would take. I had many inner monologues with myself about keeping calm. The kids were having aball playing with toys in the store. But after about a half an hour everything was complete. Three prescriptions filled and I picked up some wal-i-ten, a generic clariten. The three prescriptions alone came up to $100. Of course, $100!!!! I could think of some bills I have been procrastinating to pay and now I am shelling out $100 that was not in the budget. I added snacks and drinks for me and the kids and headed back.
When I got to the line it seemed longer than when I left. I was allowed to go straight to the front of line. When I got there the young lady said she was looking for you because they have paperwork for my daughter but not my son so I had to go to the front desk and get a copy. What that means is since they did not print his copy, I have to request it and wait. I was not the only parent there. I spoke a short friendly man who assured me that it would take a few minutes. I left the kids at our line and waited by myself.
30 minutes later I made a friend. She was sending her adorable, tall and charming 10 year old son for the first time. She herself had gone for 5 straight years as a child and had a great experience. The family requested her every year but she has lost contact with them. She also told me that her nephew was BANNED from all fresh air fund camps after terrorizing his host family. The young man said he was looking forward to hiking and bike riding. He was so sweet I definitely felt like I could have him play with my kids.
I went back to my kids who told me that it felt like I was gone for HOURS. I registered my daughter, gave the medicines that they didn't even check to see if they were correct and waited. My daughter sat in the "pit" with the other children where the parents and waiting families leaned on the gate watching their child. She sat alone and played with her dolls hair.
I saw the short friendly man and asked if it was my son and he said no. But 5 minutes later he was looking for me because he had my sons papers. I registered him. It was 11:19 and I had an appointment at noon and told my son I was leaving, he said ok and continued to play on his ipod. But I couldn't leaved. I leaned on the fence and peered at my kids who were involved in their activities.
Other groups started to leave and I could see my daughter looking around for me. Finally I caught her eye and called her over and the tears began. "I'm gonna miss you momma". Heart break. But I always have a game face. "You'll be fine." Then I called her brother over and directed him to stop with his ipod until he and his sister were seated next to each other on the bus. I even told a counselor that they must sit together. After several hugs and kisses, they walked hand and hand out the door.
I walked in a daze until I realized it was 11:40 and I better rush to my noon appointment. When I got there, of course I found out that it was at 11 am but luckily the other member of my appointment didn't show either and at around 1:30 I got word that both kids were happily with their host family.
Now to hear the stories at the end of the week. I can't wait.
