Daycare

Two quirky teenagers try to deal with a room full of small children. Also snake ninjas.

 

Daycare

            “Hey Jenny. If you could have any super power, what would it be?”

            “Snake ninja. Definitely.”

            “A what?”

            “A snake ninja. Come on Maddie, get with the program. Snake ninjas are where it’s at. They have venom and kung-fu.”

            “Maybe… I want to be able to fly. That way, whenever I’m unhappy I could just swim through the air like a fishie and find some place I like better.”

            “Wow Maddie. I think that is the most incredibly, amazingly lame thing I have ever heard.”

            Maddie scowled. “You do realize that I’m driving, don’t you?”

            “Your point?”

            “I hold your life in my hands.”

            “You don’t have the guts.”

            “Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?”

            “You are not a ninja, or a snake. Therefore, you are a wimp.”

            Maddie sighed. They spent the rest of the trip in silence. When they were almost to the daycare, Jenny smiled. “See, I knew you wouldn’t do anyth—“

            Jenny was thrown against the passenger door as Maddie swerved and floored the engine. She slammed the brakes, tossing jenny against the dashboard, and pulled into the parking lot.

            Maddie heard curses from the floorboards. She laughed so hard she snorted through her nose.

            Jenny pulled herself back onto the seat and pushed her glasses onto her face. “You’re so lucky I don’t have venom.”

            Maddie just kept laughing. When she finally calmed down, they got out of the car and walked to the front door of the daycare. Maddie looked at Jenny. Jenny looked at Maddie. The secret handshake.

            “Are you ready?” Maddie asked.

            “Let’s do this.”

            They pulled imaginary sunglasses from the air, crouched, imaginary spy pistols in their hands. A pause. A nod. The door burst open.

            “Maddie!”

            “Jenny!”

            A wave of small children descended upon them like a stampede. Both girls were surrounded and nearly smothered with hugs.

            “We’re glad to see you too,” they said, but their voices were lost amid the cacophony. Maddie brought a finger to her lips for quiet, her other hand was above her head, making the peace sign. The little kids followed suit.

            Maddie smiled. “Who’s ready to have fun?”

            A dozen tiny hands shot into the air.

            “Good! The first thing we’re going to do is paint a picture.”

            “What are we going to paint?

            “I painted a tractor once.”

            “I want to paint a rhinoceros.”

            “I want to go home.”

            “Can I color instead?”

            “QUIET!” This from Jenny. Then silence. All eyes focused on her. Several lips trembled in fear. “We are going to paint animals.”

            Ryan’s eyes lit up. “So I can paint a rhinoceros!?”

            “Yes Ryan,” said Maddie. “You can paint a rhinoceros.”

            “Can I make him purple?”

            “You sure can. You can make him any color you want.”

            A little girl pulled on Jenny’s sleeve. “Jenny, can I paint a tractor?”

            “No tractor.”

            “But, but, I want to paint a tractor.”

            “NO.”

            “Why not?”

            “Because I said so.”

            The little girl was on the verge of tears when Maddie stepped in. “Honey, we’re painting animals today. Tractors are not animals. “

            “But I want to paint a tractor.” She rubbed her eyes and made a pathetic sniff.      

            “Hmm… Well, what if you painted an animal riding on the tractor?”

            “Okay!” The little girl smiled and bounced on her heels.

            “Just pick your favorite farm animal and have fun.”

            The little girl scratched her head “Like a giraffe?”

            “Sure.” Maddie smiled and rumpled the little girl’s hair before turning to the rest of the class.

            “Okay kids, get your paints and take a seat.”

            There was a whirlwind of movement. “Watch where you’re going!” said Jenny. “Billy pushed me!” said a little girl. “Be careful!” said Maddie. There was a scraping of chairs, a crash, and the sound of broken glass. Then the room got very, very quiet. The children cowered under Jenny’s evil glare.

            “What was that?”

            The children shrugged in unison. Jenny scowled.

            “Do you all have your paints?” Maddie asked.

            “Mhm!”

            “Then get busy.”

            The kids got to work on there art projects, and for a time, all was peaceful. Maddie took Jenny aside.

“You doing okay out there?”

            “They’re evil Maddie. Demons. Let’s drown them now, before they grow.”

            “Come on, it’s nothing you can’t handle. You snake ninja you.” Maddie gave Jenny’s arm a light punch.

            “Do you want to see my scars?”

            “Oh hush, you don’t have any scars.”

            “I don’t? What about the macaroni incident Maddie? What about that?”

            “That macaroni was barely hot. You’re overreacting. You just need to take a minute to relax. You’re good with kids, I know you are. Just don’t worry so much.”

            “Oh yeah, I’m good with kids, because they just love me, don’t they?”

            “You’d be surprised, most of them really do. Just try to go down to their level, talk to them about kid stuff.”

            Jenny sighed and threw up her arms. “Okay Maddie, for you, I’ll try.”

            Jenny took a seat at one of the art tables. Most of the kids looked up and smiled. So far so good. She took a piece of paper from the pile and a paintbrush from the cup.

            “Can I use some of your paints?”

            The little boy beside her nodded his head and pushed his paint tray closer to Jenny.

            “Thank you.”

            “You’re welcome.”

             Jenny rested her chin on her fist, wondering what type of animal she should draw. Her face scrunched up in thought. Then she heard giggles. Two little girls were staring at her, copying her silly faces. Jenny chose to ignore it.

            “Jenny, what ya painting?” The little boy across from her looked up and smiled, rocking in his chair. “I’m painting a tiger, because they are scary. Grrr.”

            Jenny couldn’t help but smile. “I’m not sure what to paint. Do you have any ideas.”

            “Umm…. A tiger!”

            “But you’re already painting a tiger.”

            “Oh yeah… What about, a, um, a cat?”

            Jenny nodded her head. “A cat. I like it.” And then she got to work. Her cat was a cute little tabby, grey and black and white. His name was stardust, and he had sparkling orange eyes. Jenny was coloring his feet when she saw something that made her tongue catch in her throat.

            On the other side of the room, Ryan was painting Ashleigh’s hair. Purple. Jenny gripped the side of the table until the color drained from her fingers. Maddie’s head perked up; she could smell Jenny’s rage.

            Maddie leapt from her chair and had Ryan’s paintbrush in an instant. She made the peace sign again, but this time she showed it to Jenny as a reminder. Peace. Jenny closed her eyes, put her hands over her ears, and tried to concentrate on her breathing.

            Now Maddie was in control. That is, until Ashleigh noticed something wet on the back of her head. She reached back and felt the paint. There was a pause, then a scream. She spun around in a panic, spraying the walls and all of the other children with paint.   

            Pandemonium ensued. The children jumped from their seats and ran for cover. The room was filled with the sounds of tiny heads colliding into one another. Tufts of pulled hair flew into the sky. Maddie ran to the center of the room in an attempt to control the situation, but was soon thrown to the ground in the ever expanding kerfluffle. Paint was everywhere.

            Jenny finally opened her eyes. Her jaw dropped. She lifted her head and let out an unholy shriek. Silence. Jenny began to tremble. She stomped to the door and ripped it open. Once outside, she sat on the doorstep and tried to get a grip. Those kids had been so scared, afraid, of her. She put a hand to her face and felt hot tears spilling down her cheek.

            She felt something pulling on the back of her shirt. It was Ryan.

            “Jenny.”

            She pushed his hand aside, “Go away.”

            “But Jenny…”

            She turned on him. “What!?”

            The little boy was oblivious to her anger. “I need your help.”

            “What do you want?”

            “I need you to tie my shoe.”

            “Go ask Maddie to do it, since you all love her so much anyway.”

            “But I like you best Jenny.”

            And in that moment, Jenny’s heart, which had always been two sizes too small, grew three sizes too big, and there, on the spot, she made a vow to take back all the toys she had stolen from the happy children of her town last Christmas. But for now, she contented herself with helping Ryan tie his shoe. She pulled his tiny foot onto her lap, looped both ends, crossed them, and pulled them tight.

            “There ya go.”

            Ryan threw his arms around her. “Thank you Jenny.”

            Jenny smiled and looked up. Maddie was at the doorway, watching her. “Not bad for a snake ninja.”

            “Maddie, you are so lucky I don’t know kung-fu. Seriously.”
           

 

Reviews

[Dianne]

Oh god! What a laugh! I have soo been there with a room full of kids and just when you're ready to kill someone, they say or do the funniest thing and you just have to love them. Great story, but really, snake ninja? I guess I don't watch enough TV. lol