What do you make of phone calls at the crack of dawn? Far too early for any reasonable soul.
Lately, my husbands sister-in-laws wife has developed the strange habit of ringing me at five in the morning. At that hour, even my husbands mobile isnt on silent, as his own sister calls him as well. My eyelids are barely open. Their cheek is quite remarkable.
When I finally answer the phone, I hear this:
Why are you still asleep? We need to be off before eleven for urgent matters. Watch the children. Were waiting underneath your front gate.
Before I could manage a single word, they hang up.
My husband and I just stared at each other, bewildered. Nieces and nephews? At this hour? Why in front of our gate?
My husband pulled on his dressing gown and shuffled outside. The dogs were barking like lunatics, so it was certain someone was out there.
Indeed, three of our young relatives stood in a neat row by the gate. I could hardly believe it.
We herded the children inside and began phoning their parents, trying to make sense of it all. The response we received:
Dont you care for your nieces and nephews at all? You dont send them money, you never buy them gifts. At the very least, spend time with them. Weve got pressing things to do today. Now is your chance to redeem your reputation in the eyes of the children.
My husband and I sat there in stunned silence. The youngest was not even a year oldleft with neither nappy nor baby food.
Luckily, theres a Tesco that never closes in town. My husband drove off to stock up on everything the little ones might require. After all, we had to feed them at the very least.
We endured an eternity with them. The children were utterly unruly, refused to nap, and wailed throughout the morning. It wasnt their fault, poor dears, dragged out at such a ghastly hour.
Their parents did not collect them until three oclock in the afternoon. That, too, only after wed rung them persistently. Someone elses childrena tremendous responsibility.
Yet, we were told off for buying the wrong brand of nappies and food. Nevertheless, they swept up the groceries and took them away.
Now, we havent the slightest idea how to prevent this from happening again. Theres a creeping fear that well open our eyes to see our nieces and nephews at the gate once more at five in the morning. Im still shaken after the ordeal.
