Weekend End

My parents were very naive and frankly not all that parent-like when I was a child.  In so many ways, they existed more as siblings than anything else.  On one occasion, they dropped me off at a girl's home (I don't remember how I knew where she lived) for a Christmas(? - perhaps) party.  The problem was, the party either had been the night before or was going to be sometime in the future - perhaps the following weekend.

The 'rents let me out on the driveway in the dark before speeding away, therefore by the time I discovered this small detail, I was stuck.  My Mom and Dad had their own event to attend that evening.  I didn't know where exactly they were going or how to get in touch with them.  And this type of thing was somewhat typical.  For the most part, there was a real sense of nuclear optimism coupled with a general disinterest in specific details between the three of us.

This particular embarrassing event probably served to begin to enlighten me to the contrast between my home and those of many of my peers.  I do remember this occurring while I was in junior high which only served to enhance the awkwardness.

Thankfully, the girl's family was home which I discovered when her father answered the door.  I remember awkwardly explaining to the girl about the mix up after he called her downstairs.  I don't know what we occupied our time with over the course of the next two hours, though I can imagine I probably talked her ears off as we both watched the clock.  Their home was posh and expansive compared to my own.

I do remember her Dad not being upset with me over the mix up.  I specifically remember asking him about his profession.  He was a physician.  Perhaps an internist.  He seemed super smart.  Never dumb enough to make this kind of stupid mistake with his kids.