If you give a Mom a minute,
      she'll want a cup of tea and a magazine.
Reaches for her favorite mug,
      but starts to unload the dishwasher instead.
While putting away the dishes,
      she rearranges the cupboards.
Decides to put some dishes aside for a garage sale.
      Calls her friend for advice,
but forgets to ask about garage sales.

Goes to the toilet, and notices the shower is dirty.
      Sprays and scrubs the shower stall,
while she reorganizes the body scrubs and shampoos.
      Throws away expired medicines,
and cleans the bathroom cabinet.
      This reminds her to call the Pediatrician.

On the way downstairs to get the telephone number,
      she notices the floor needs vacuuming.
Gets the vacuum cleaner,
      and sees all of her handbags.
Distracted, she starts to look inside them.
      Throws out a a pile of old lists,
seventeen hair ties and a melted lollipop.
      A dirty cigarette packet,
but knows she doesn't smoke.
      Puzzled, and embarrassed,
she remembers picking it up off the lawn months ago.

Thoughts of smoky handbags remind her to wash the laundry,
      and she forgets to call the Pediatrician.
As the laundry spins,
      she begins to tidy the cellar.
Makes another pile of things for the garage sale,
      wondering why on earth she agreed to do it in the first place.

The laundry done, she hears a drip,
       but decides to ignore it.
Folds the laundry, opens the mail,
        and fills the tea kettle with water.
As she waits for it to boil,
       she absently wonders why the water is still running.
Perhaps the washing machine has turned back on,
       or maybe it is starting to rain.
A lot.
     
She hears more noises in the cellar.
     The cat is crying, and the phone is starting to ring.
So she just stops listening.
     Her child is sick,
and she must be picked up immediately,
      if not sooner.
Before she hangs up,
      she is sweetly reminded that she has to bring four decorated cakes,
473 dark blue napkins and 8 dozen bottles of water to school.
Tomorrow. By 7:30am.
      It's Children Appreciation Day.
Oh, and don't forget -
      no gluten, no sugar, no peanuts, no dairy and no mushrooms.

She drives to the school,
      brings her child home, and puts her to bed.
With a bucket.
      Which reminds her of water,
and the cat.
      Marooned on a shelf,
he is watching as the water steadily laps around the basement floor.

Calling the Plumber reminds her that she never did drink that cup of tea,
      so she decides to turn the tea kettle on,
                       and take that minute....


(Written by me, but inspired by Laura Numeroff's wonderful books for children).