Attention to Detail

Let’s face it.  We’re all distracted by everything around us.  Our smart phones, car stereo, television or pretty much any other stimuli always seems more important than the task at hand.  We’re always telling Maya, please pay attention to what you’re doing.  Watch out for this.  Watch out for that.  Be aware.  Maya, are you listening to us?  Meanwhile, I’m the queen of distraction.  I’m not afraid to admit it.  It’s sort of the running joke in the family.  My father and I are very much alike.  My folks came to visit last week but flew in separately the same day. My father, who usually travels with my mother (who has the whole traveling thing down to an art) had arrived early to his connecting gate in DFW with ample time.  Clearly there would be no mishaps.  As he sat with plenty of time to spare, with his back facing the gate entrance, he became entrenched in a CNN news program just above him.  He also likes to chat so while he was making friends at the airport, all passengers boarded his flight behind him and the plane took off.  They may have even announced his name for ‘last call’ but we’ll never know for sure.  He was left waiting in Dallas for another 4 hours until the next flight for Huntsville was scheduled.  We were all able to laugh about it in the days to come.  The apple does not fall far from the tree.  During my parents visit, we prepared for the arrival of a beautiful, new canopy bed for Maya.  It was a surprise.  The day it arrived, my husband was home to receive the disassembled parts which we planned to put together later that day.  As I drove into the garage that afternoon, I heard loud thumps under my car.  I was clearly driving over something but wasn’t sure what.  I proceeded to drive back and forth over the ‘said objects’ as my husband opened the door with jaw dropped and terror in his eyes.  “STOP!!” he says.  Yes, it was Maya’s disassembled bed parts.  Of course I made every excuse in the book as to why it wasn’t my fault and he should have called to warn me.  He looked at me with confusion “But they were right there as you drove in?!  Huge boxes!  Anyone would have seen those??”  Pretty sure at the time I drove up, I was either looking at my phone or listening intently to my audio book.  But those weren’t good enough excuses so I chose to divert blame 😉  I know, lesson learned.  PAY ATTENTION.  Anyway, hope you enjoyed the story.  Have a great week everyone!