Ok, So I was Gonna Tell You About the School...

Thursday I went by the school which the boy is zoned. On that day, I figured that I had better face the music and get the boy registered in the neighborhood school because he wasn't going to make it in the vanguard program. I was crushed, but still had to do what must be done.

I had the boy and the mil in the car with me. We pulled up and took the spot that was under the tree. It was like 90 degrees or so outside. They opted to wait for me in the car(with the windows down, of course; seeing as I would only be inside for a minute.). While parking, I notice a police car sitting outside the school.

I walk into the office and I'm the only anglo in the room. No biggie, I've been that before. I get the information and walk outside back to the car. I notice that the police officer is going into the school, but not rushed, you know??? He was talking on his cel, but I interupted him anyway. He was really nice about it. This is how the conversation went:

Me: Excuse me, but can I ask you a question?
PO: Just a second(talking to the person on the phone.)
Me: Oh, sorry.
PO: That's fine.(to me.)
Me: How often do you(Houston Police Department) have to provide security to this school?
PO: Not any more than the other schools.
Me: (I'm sure that I registered a look of slight alarm) Oh...
PO: We come by every once in a while to check in, drop in on the school. And sometimes there are fights and we have to break them up.
Me: Oh, ok. (Aw, Hell!)
PO: Well, with the influx of Katrina evacuees and the high immigrant population, both African and Mexican, there is alot of conflict, racial-
Me: And cultural?
PO: Yeh.
Me: Ok, well, Thank you. Good bye.
PO: Good bye.

Ok, needless to say, I was FREAKED! Totally F****** FREAKED!!! I told my mil what he said and then I told her, "One of two things is gonna happen to my kid if he goes to school here;
1. He'll either become a "hood"
or
2. He'll get beat up everyday."

The idea of the police having to be called in on a fight at an ELEMENTARY SCHOOL was insane to me. I can see breaking up a fight in middle or high school, but primary school???? Oh MY Gosh!!!!! It still boggles the mind...

She was trying to make me feel better by uttering something wise and sagey, but all I heard in my panic was mumble, mumble, mumble...

I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening AND the next morning slightly on edge until the mail came.

I looked in the mailbox, which wasn't touch by a mail carrier until 4pm!, and saw that there was a BIG envelope from ASKEW!!! I knew immediately that he had been accepted. Why else send a large envelope? Rejection letters come in "letter" sized envelopes. So, anyway, I squeal with delight as I'm opening the rather large envelope and tell Owen, "I bet you got in." He reads, so of course he already knew that the parcel was from Askew. I screamed and he said, "Mom, you're hurting my ears!" "Sorry Owie." Then I proceed to read the letter to him. Now we are both screaming, "I/You got into Askew! Yea!!" There was MUCH rejoicing in the "Short" household! I called the hubby and I was so excited that I could hardly talk. He was
alarmed that maybe one of us was hurt and then I was able to calm down enough to tell him the news. Well, now all I have to do is fill out the paperwork and get it in by May 18 or his spot will go to someone else. You all know what I will be doing tomorrow.

We are all excited and I made sure that I gave a big hug and a Thank You to the woman who had been encouraging me to have him testing for the Vanguard Program for the last 3 years. She knew he was a "shoo-in". I guess that I always knew that too, but until the paperwork is in your hands, you can never be sure.