Simply Life

Tonight we watched the movie "Dreamer". What a wonderful, family movie! It is inspired by a true story. It's about a girl, her father, and their horse. Of course, I cannot spill the beans on the exact storyline cause you need to go out and rent it. :o)
It has Dakota Fanning and Kurt Russell, so you know it's good!

Yesterday was an extremely frustrating day. It started out good and stayed that way until the afternoon run. Don't work with your good friends. Don't get stuck on a bus with them for 7.5 hours Monday through Friday.
She is known as Crazy Betty. She is fun loving and optimistic. She has a naive childishness about her. She also can be very stubborn. She can take out her frustrations in ways less seen.
I know her as not many people do. They see the "WOOHOO tada!" that is Crazy Betty. She's like a super-hero. I see the flesh and blood 65 year old woman.
The kids were, shall we say, hyper? Yeah, we'll go with that. Eventually the "most hyper" of the bunch were dropped off at home. That left 3 kids. They are all between 9-12 years old. The reason they are on our bus is because of behavioral issues. They are in special classes to help them deal with things. One of our kids, I will call him "AJ", has a lot of issues. He's a good kid but he doesn't show it a lot.
When we stopped at a students house, he unbuckled his seatbelt, got another students backpack, and returned it to them from the floor.
Frickin' Amazing!! I didn't ask him to do it. I was so pleased!!
They are finally starting to listen and learn. WOW!
Then, the shoe dropped.
"You didn't ask to unbuckle." Betty said.
Now, while it's true that we have neccessary rules, this was not the time for her to broach this subject. I felt it undermined the good thing he did.
So, I said, "He was getting J.'s backpack." in his defense.
She replied, "He didn't ask to get up, and he unbuckled before the bus stopped."
"No, he unbuckled after the bus stopped." I answered.
Now, I know we are supposed to be a team & present a united front to the kids, just like good parents. But, I was frustrated with her attitude.
She continued on saying that she had seen him unbuckle before we stopped, yada yada yada...
Finally, I held up my hands in front of me and said, "Ok. Stop."
"You're. Telling. Me. To. Stop?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes. I don't want to argue anymore." I responded.
"You're not arguing. I am."
"Well then, please stop."
"I'll stop when I want to stop."
Silence.
Is it only me who thinks she sounded like one of the kids?
I was so mad that I cam *this* close to making her stop the bus and let me off. I think if she weren't our landlord too I would have.
I didn't talk to her the rest of the way back to base. I cannot imagine seeing her Monday, nor do I wish to. If I could, I would NEVER go back.
Yes. I am that mad.