Where are the Bathrooms?; OR Kids caught in the Rain; OR Our angel with a handtowel

The day started out rough enough. Two kids who woke up WAY too early considering their 10pm bedtime the night before. A car that had to be moved for street sweeping and a mom who didn't have time for a shower. Clearly a recipe for disaster.

Puffy eyed and confused we trailed to the car trying to rustle up energy and an idea for the morning. We only had to kill an hour or so, but I decide to go shopping. BAD BAD idea.

I picked up a cute black dress, but because of a tantruming kid, didn't have time to try it on. I picked out my size, purchased it and left. This is something I never do because it always backfires. Today was no different. We finally get home after a lot of driving and a quick stop at the ice cream store. I try on the dress. Dress is too small. I instantly regret the ice cream and then wonder... "Do I find a new store with my size and exchange it today or do I stuff the dress in the corner and let it sit for who knows how long until I get time to exchange it?"  I contemplate the rest of the day. I have nothing planned, Cache has had a nap so I get the crazy idea to go into the city to a new location and exchange the dress. 

So far things go well. We get the right size have a few more tantrums in line and quickly dart for the door just as I notice the tropical rain storm swelling outside. We decide to run for it. I loose my shoe in a puddle in the street (plastic flipflops + rainstorm= lameness).  I ditch my children with a stranger and return to the street to fetch my shoe. We wait in a bank for what seems like HOURS. The kids are running crazy. The rain has not stopped. Ronin says "I have to go potty."  "NOW?!?!?!" I inquire. "Yes now, now NOW!"  I'm dizzy with the question "Where is the closest bathroom? One of the constant problems in this city is that there are none.

 I figure it has to be in the mall we were just at so we cross back over the same street as I hold tightly to my flip flops. The mall is under construction so there are no bathrooms. Back outside it is still raining. And when I say raining I mean torrential downpour. Before living here I never knew rain could be like this. Drops so large they blind you.

I decide to check in the subway maybe walk over to the Path Train. There HAS to be bathrooms right? We get down the subway stairs and I have to yell at someone for being upset that Ronin is walking slow. "He's a kid!!!"  I scream "Get a grip!"  I hope he thinks long and hard about how rude he has just been, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't care. Ronin is oblivious. I am fuming.

We walk to the Path Train and ask every police officer there (around 5 or so) where the bleedin' bathrooms are. They don't know. They point to each other. They are all stupid. A train worker points up the stairs and says to try McDonalds. I walk up said stairs only to find a door that leads right back outside... into the rain. I am FURIOUS at this point. We have now walked two blocks underground and are now that far away from the subway entrance....again. It is still a torrential downpour and Ronin is now asking if he can just pee outside. I have given up trying to find the bathroom and figure we will just have to make a run for home. But we still have to walk back the same streets, holding onto the flipflops with my toes, yelling at people with umbrellas to get out of the way (they were not in any hurry) and find our way back down the subway stairs. We finally make it to the train and Ronin says (loudly) that he has gone in his pants. I'm not mad. I don't blame him. I would have done the same. 

On the train there are quite a few people shocked at our condition. We are completely soaked. Cache has food in his hair, Ronin has pee on his shorts and they are both freezing. The AC's work really well on the train, especially when you are wet.

 After one stop a woman offers me a clean hand towel from her purse. It is white, fluffy and smells like fabric softener. We take it with a smile. It feels really good. It was straight from heaven just like she was. The kids get partially dry and are as happy as can be for the rest of the ride. It has finally stopped raining by the time we get home. Ronin said he loves the rain as he runs to the toilet. 

This is how we traveled most of the day. Ronin has the hand towel and is sporting his new shoes and socks. They were happy enough to cheese it up for me. 

I figure we are home free as far as problems of the day are concerned. We get the bath started. I decide to actually sit down to take a load off, when I hear Ronin screaming from the bathroom. I run in to find poop floating around their ankles. Cache is pointing and explaining what he has done, in baby talk. I can't find the wipes. I can't find the tub cleaner. I'm surprised I can find myself by this point. We get cleaned up and I realize I have no plans for dinner and dad should be walking through the door any minute. When he finally arrives I ditch him with both the kids, and no food. I walked glass-eyed to the couch and open the computer. I'm pretty sure he's had a hard day too, but at this point I just don't care. I have yet to move. The kids are finally in bed but giggling to each other. Patrick has finished the dishes. I still can't move and don't intent to. But I'll try to shake the day off. I guess it could have been a lot worse.