The School Trip

Last week I went on a school trip to a farming show with The Terminator's class. It was a fantastic show. I was responsible for four boys, making sure they didn't get lost, disgrace themselves or enjoy their usual punch-ups in public. The only one that got lost was The Terminator, who was found hanging round the neck of a golden labrador in one of the tents. No, we can't have a dog!

We had a packed lunch on picnic blankets and one of the boys fell asleep. Naturally it was very early (11.20am) as all of the boys were 'starving' and 'really hungry'. When he woke up I asked him if he was OK - he replied that his brother had kept him awake talking the night before. He then fell asleep again for about 15 minutes. When he woke up for the second time he had curled up on the blanket against me. I don't know him very well but I like him, he's very chilled and sweet tempered. He then asked me if I wanted to know the real reason he was so tired. I said if he wanted to tell me he could. He explained that his stepdad was in a mood and had kicked his bedroom door down and smashed all of his lightbulbs in his room. His mum was scared and grabbed them all and he had gone to sleep very late on the landing with his mum and two brothers. At the end of the day he gave me his phone number and asked me if The Terminator could go for a sleepover. I couldn't stop thinking about him that night, wondering what I should do. I know his mum slightly and she seems very young and out on a limb. In the morning I went and told the Headteacher what he'd told me. I really hope that was the right thing to do.

The second thing that happened that day was that another mum joined forces with me and we went around the show together. I've known her for about 4 years and always liked her, but we've never had an in-depth conversation before. She'd been made redundant and was taking May off to be with her son (she's a single parent) and she'd set up her own business to start in June. She's in sales and is super dynamic. So, her new business needs a marketer to help her and she asked me. Of course I said yes, thinking that it would be a way off in my usual slack fashion. I got home and an hour later she'd sold me into her client and had arranged a meeting for early June. Shit! I'd better get my act together..