Lunch With Joe

Fans! Oh, Fans. Today, Julie went and had lunch with Joe, in his Pre-School B room, at KinderCare. Oh, Fans. It was sort of epic. Julie was told to arrive by 11:30am, as lunch is apparently typically served at 11:40am, and so, she did. The Pre-Bers were coming in from outside and, Julie doesn't want to brag, but Fans, it was kind of like she was Dora the Explorer or something. Everyone wanted to sit by her. She sat at the blue table* with, of course, Joe, as well as four other friends. Lunch was eggs and potatoes. Julie gathered that this was a choice lunch. The eggs and potatoes were accompanied with apple (red and green) slices, and milk (2%). Julie skipped the milk, but ate one helping of everything else. Joe had two helpings of everything, and Julie can report that he eats the inside of the apple slices, and then the skins.

Mr. Mark remarked to Julie that her presence had brought the noise and energy level down significantly. Julie thought he was being sarcastic.

He wasn't.**

Fans, it is impossible to capture the full flavor of the Pre-B lunchtime milieu here, but picture roughly 20 toddlers about 15 of whom are keeping up a steady stream of questions at TOP VOLUME, while eating, and, bear in mind that one need not be at the same table as the person to whom one is speaking. It would sound something like this:

"What's your name? Hey! Hey! Joe's mom! What's your name? There's another Ms. Julie here. Do you know my mom's name? Do you know my dad's name? Do you know my baby's name? Do you know my mom's name? Do you know my mom's name? Do you know my mom's name? My mom's name is. . .POTATO! Do you know my dad's name? Why aren't you drinking milk? Do you like noodles? Do you like apples? Do you like strawberries? Are you older than Mr. Mark? Are you older than Ms. Vanessa? What's your favorite color? My favorite color is yellow! My favorite color is yellow! My favorite color is yellow, too! I like yellow! Do you have cousins? EXCUSE ME! How many cousins do you have? Ms. Julie! Hey! Hey! How many cousins do you have? I have 40 cousins! I have 60 cousins!*** My mom's name is Potato. Do you know my dad's name?"

Interestingly, Joe said next to nothing, but then, of course, Julie is here to say that one could barely get a word in, and it is true that he is a very focused eater.

Joe knew Julie wasn't staying after lunch, and that he wasn't going with her, and he was o-kay with that until the very, very last moment, which is how Julie knew he'd be o-kay, and he was.

So. Fans. Lunch with Joe and his peeps was awesome. Julie ate everything, and was on her best behavior, so she hopes she gets invited back.

*The blue table is ringed in blue tape. There is also a red table, a yellow table, and a green table.

**Wow.

***Julie has like, 33 cousins. It was the number to beat.