Caught Off Guard

For years we have sent the younger kids in our home to bed at their normal bedtimes on New Year’s Eve with promises that we will awaken them before midnight so that they can participate in welcoming in the New Year.  It’s not clear to me how much any of them actually sleep in the hours between bedtime and midnight.  But it’s become our tradition, and it’s worked fairly well.  They know they’re not going to miss out on any celebrations.  And we think we have slightly less tired kids on New Year’s Day.

A couple of years ago, per our New Year’s Eve tradition, the six youngest kids in our home were sent off to bed at their normal bedtimes with our assurances that we would wake them a few minutes before midnight.  At 11:40 we woke them up, and they excitedly came downstairs in great expectation of celebrating in the New Year.  There was a good deal of chatter, and knowing glances, as they gathered in the kitchen waiting for their goblet s of sparkling apple cider.

My husband’s dad always celebrated New Year’s Eve by sounding an airhorn from their front porch.  Much to his wife’s chagrin.  Since his passing, my husband Geoff has carried on that tradition in our home.  

So as the kids all lined up in the kitchen to get their goblet of sparkling apple cider, Geoff went to get the airhorn.

“Okay guys,” he explained, airhorn in hand, “I’m going out on the deck to sound the airhorn at a couple minutes to midnight.”

They all grinned.  Okay.  Heads nodded.  Okay.  Yeah.  That’s a great idea, Dad.

I handed each of them their sparkling apple ciders with which to toast in the New Year.   Geoff put our dogs away safely in their kennels to keep them from panicking at the sound of the airhorn and the fireworks which would soon be lighting up our neighborhood.  All the while he narrated for the kids what he was doing, and why.

“I’m just gonna put the dogs away first so they don’t get scared and try to run off when the fireworks start,” he explained. 

Heads bobbed.  They grinned.  Yeah, good idea.  This was so exciting.

As Geoff opened the front door, he turned back toward the kitchen, cautioning the kids one more time.  “Okay, remember, this is going to be really loud.  So be ready!”

“Okay!” they all chorused.  Excitedly waiting for the airhorn to announce the final countdown, and then the toast to the New Year.

They grinned at each other.  Everyone excited.

Geoff went out on the front porch and sounded the airhorn.

And six little nervous systems over-responded.  Six little arms, holding six goblets of sparkling apple cider, jerked in response to the loud airhorn.  Sending six glasses of sparkling apple cider into the air to land in hair, on pajamas, on the kitchen counter, the cupboard doors, and the floor.

“What was THAT?!” Geoff and I asked in unison.

The kids all looked around, fully startled by what had just happened.  Each one now dripping sparkling apple cider down their faces.

We all got a good laugh out of it.

Even though they’d had multiple warnings, even though both Geoff and I had cautioned them that it was going to be “really loud.”  Those little nervous systems still startled, and over-reacted.  Somehow, even though they had known it was coming, and were even WATCHING Geoff while he sounded the airhorn, they’d still been caught off guard. 

Just like when I know I have to be somewhere, and I think I have plenty of time, but somehow still find myself being late for something important.  

Or when I’m in the kitchen and reach to take hold of something hot.  Something that I’d just had on the burner, and I knew was hot.  But I grab it anyway and burn myself.

Or when I’m watching a movie and I know something bad is about to happen.  But I still jump out of my seat when it actually occurs.

I’m caught off-guard.  I wasn’t paying enough attention.  I forgot.  I didn’t notice.  I thought I was prepared until the exact moment when I realize that I wasn’t.

And just like that!  Bam!  Sparkling apple cider is all over the place.

I hear it from other people a lot, too.  Like when they’re determined to stop gambling, and then they find themselves walking into a casino.

Or when they’re determined to make it to work on time every day for their new job.  Until one day it just doesn’t happen.  

Or when they’ve been working their recovery program for addiction.  They’re doing really well.   Getting healthier.  And then somehow they end up in the backseat of a friend’s car with a needle.  

Somehow, even with the best of intentions, they were caught off guard.  They lost track of time.  They forgot.  They weren’t expecting the circumstances that arose.  They didn’t have a plan, or their plan didn’t work.  They let their guard down and didn’t see the signs in time.  

Even though they knew it was going to happen, when the airhorn went off they were startled by reality.  Caught off guard.  

 And just like that!  Bam!  Sparkling apple cider everywhere.