beyond cinderella

My daughter, Shantel, started back to college this week, and with that comes a new year of issues with using dial-a-ride.

Shantel has to use two dial-a-ride services. Phoenix dial-a-ride picks her up at her school and takes her just a few miles down the road, where she sits on a bench, just inside a Fry’s food store, until the East Valley dial-a-ride comes to pick her up and brings her home. Yesterday, the East Valley dial-a-ride didn’t show up when they were supposed to, so Shantel called them again and was told they would send another driver right out to get her.

When Shantel finally got home, she told me she knows she has been sitting in Fry’s too long when she starts hearing the same advertisements repeated over the intercom system. I asked her how many advertisements are run and she said “a lot, but I know them all by heart.” I asked her to tell me one of the advertisements she knows off-hand. Without missing a beat, she said ” attention shoppers, Smirnoff Sorbet Light Vodka has naturally infused fruit flavors, and at only 78 calories per serving it is a light, refreshing drink. Smirnoff Sorbet Light Vodka contains 30% alcohol by volume.”

What a memory that girl has. I was impressed to say the least, and I told her memorizing all of Fry’s advertisements  could be a good thing because, if she ever got a job interview with Fry’s she could tell them she knows all about the products Fry’s sells and she could quote the Smirnoff Sorbet Light Vodka advertisement as an example” Shantel laughed and said “I don’t think so mom, because with my luck, they might start thinking I was an alcoholic, not a good impression to leave at a job interview!”

That’s our girl, Shantel, forever keeping her sense of humor in all situations. I couldn’t be more proud of the beautiful, young woman she has become… 🙂

Other than the dial-a-ride issue, Shantel’s first week back at school went very well. She said she didn’t even get abducted by any strangers like she normally does the first week or two when people assume she is lost so they just grab her arm and start walking off with her telling her they will help her get to the office. I asked her what she says to the people when they do that to her, and she said she just tries to say as nicely as possible that she is not lost and she doesn’t need any help but thanks for asking. She said she doesn’t ever want to hurt anyone’s feelings and one day she might really need their help.

Shantel gave an example of when she did need help yesterday. She said she did get turned around once yesterday when one of the maintenance carts was parked in the middle of the walk way and Shantel got thrown off course. I asked her what she did and she said she heard some people talking at a table and asked if one of them could help her get to the path leading to the cafeteria. One of the women sitting at the table got up and said she would be happy to help. She walked with Shantel until Shantel told her she got her bearings back and thanked the woman for her assistance. So all is well that ends well…

Stay Tuned!