Communication breakdown

So the Queenager, who rarely goes out (too much homework), decided to hit downtown Chicago last night. We live about 1.5 miles from where she would be, and she was with a group of nice kids, seeing a movie. (And she's 17, therefore old enough etc. etc.)

Sometimes however the communication goes a little awry. How many times a day do I find myself thanking heaven for cell phones. What did our parents do without them, etc.etc? Not worry quite so much I would think.

So she kept texting me, which irritates the Ball & Chain for some reason. "Why can't she just use the phone instead of making us text?:" So I called her phone, which of course bounced into voicemail even though she had just texted me. Actually it bouncced into a message saying that the voicemail hadn't been set up, which was even more annoying.

Atfer about fifteen minutes of me texting things like "U need to come home" and her telling me that they were looking for something to eat (at 11pm), she got the message. With no idea which bus to get, and where the stops were, I finally managed to get her to call me. I told her where to go (for about the 10th time) and said to call us when the bus was approaching the stop. On no account was she to walk home on her own.

She dutifully texted about 20 minutes later (WTF?) ' Almost at bus stop", so I sent the Ball & Chain out into the rain with new dog to wait for her.

Then I got another text - "J's mom is driving me home as the bus takes too long". What?

I quickly replied "Dad is already at the bus stop, where are you". I mean "U"?"

"In J's car".

So I rang the B&C (thank heavens for cell phones) and we aborted that plan. She knew she was in the bad books when she came in.

Turns out that when she texted about getting near the bus stop, she meant she was getting near the one down town. I.E. not actually on the bus at all.

Give me strength.