Good-bye dorm experience

Walking thru the halls of the YMCA, backpack on my pack, shower shoes in tow, I feel like I’m at the UH dorm again. It's a mini vacation..of sorts...

It’s been my escape for three months now. Drop off kids and run to the cycles and silenced TVs.

I’d escape to the walking trails and call a friend or just watch the trees for a while.

Today I spend time hiding in a corner grading feverously. I had 4 hours of work to get done in 2 hours.  In fact, when someone said hello, I jumped. Free wi-fi and chaos.

People pushing from behind my chair to reach for coffee. Employees complaining about the broken snack machine. They gab loudly behind me. I can tell the other worker doesn't really want to talk.

Flashing around me were noises of all kinds. A boy bounced a basketball like a drum, a baby SCREAMED, a child blared a Mario video game on the Iphone.  It was a circus around me. It was my “study lounge” for a time. It almost drove me crazy.  I had the focus of a ninja.

I remember showering there a couple of times. Balancing on my flip flops and changing in small corner. Watched the water drain like the Nile winding around the room. Nothing like community showers. 

I pretend I get to get away from it all. I dress. Wring out my hair and blow dry. I pretend I have a great place to go- -not picking up the kids and heading home. I pretend the night is about endless surprises and nothing is on a schedule.

For a moment, I walk around the winding halls in peace. Take a breath and then, pick up the kids. Adventure out to the car, refreshed.

Today I caught a glimpse of my kids being restless. They were kicking and playing fight. It was boy stuff. I am glad I saw this because I would have been much harder on them if I hadn't seen the tone of their actions at the time.

The larger mean type lady- -the personality type I am learning to spot and STAY away from immediately these days- -at the childcare made sure to tell me when I picked them up with the same smurk she had when she told me I couldn’t place my stroller there a month ago. I said, “I am folding it up and putting it away.” She had pounced on me before I had a chance to explain.

Today she pounced on me again. 

I said, “This is our last Saturday here.”

She smurked and said sheepishly, “Well they are welcome anytime,” as to pull away from her stance. Or, as if to interpret me as fighting back. 

I said, “Yep, they’ve been rowdier. They’ve been pretty good actually. You see we’ve been living in a one bedroom apartment for three months now,"I continued, "Five people. One bedroom. It's been really    tough."

I started to cry. She said, “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

I said, “We had to huddle while we sold our Houston home. We move next week.”

She was then nicer, “My girls get that way at the end of summer after too much time together. They have to get away from each other.”

She then smiled and started to act differently. I am glad for this ending. If only she started out this way, it would have changed my response.

It was another dorm experience scenario- -a close quarter place where neighbors are forced friends.

My first phone call in Austin was at this YMCA. My first break from the kids from these very close quarters was at the YMCA. I still have the three tags from the Houston YMCA. They won't come off my key ring. 

Sentimental at times still too. So much has changed since I came here. This has become my small little city- -in a place where I knew no one.

My first 4 miles on the cycles. My first French 78-yr-old friend was at this YMCA.

I feel like I’ve graduated. I’ll miss this place.