One lunch too many

Last week I had the opportunity to ride the bus with a bunch of grade sixers. WE went down to the CN Imax for some educational movie time, and a cruise through "historic" gastown. It was quite the educational experience, for many of us.

I got to be the parent that sat at the front of the bus and quietly did her Soduko (on the way home). I very much was happy with my diversion. I did chat with some women on the way down, but I believe I scared them for the return trip, hence the happy Soduko book.

The day went good enough. I thought it was highly disorganized, but other people seemed to know what they were doing, and carried on doing things. That boy of mine did ask me why I got on the wrong bus, but I didn't think I was on the wrong bus...I just followed along with one of the familiar teachers.

I had packed the boy a sandwich and a banana, and the same for myself. What I didn't know was that we would be visiting the foodfair across from Canada Place. The boy was quite happy to learn that I had brought my debit card, which meant that packed lunch would stay put. I was ultimately happy that I was able to purchase a lovely cup of Tim Hortons.

While I was quietly eating in the big food fair area, and happily doing my Soduko, along came a scruffy stranger. She wanted money, I gave her a banana, smiled and wished her luck. The boys pack of friends sat and stared wide eyed. They wanted to know what I was doing. The boy replied that I was feeding people because they asked for money. My boy smiled at me, as the eating boys wondered about feeding people bananas in food fairs.

A while later we were wondering through Gastown looking at stuff. (We were supposed to be looking at the architecture, but oddly enough all the tourists shops were the main attraction!) The group of five boys had merged with a group of five girls, the planets were in total alignment! We had stopped to let someone have a bathroom break, and as I stood there uselessly waiting I spotted another person looking for some lunch. This time I had to chase them down. I crossed the street, and tried to catch up to the fellow, but the down and outer had too much of a head start, and I was losing my pack of kids that were now sitting outside of the sandwich shop "subway". I had to just let it go that I couldn't feed the world today in one outing, but as luck would have it, I passed a garbage can, and a man busily looking for pop cans. He had just found a sandwich that had been tossed, when I handed him over the lunch bag with a fresh sandwich and a banana ... mission accomplished.

The boy had a lot of explaining to do to his pack of friends waiting outside of the sandwich shop.