How Six Minutes of "Rescue Me" Changed Me. Forever.

I receive a lot of school notices from the Chicago Public Schools.  In the last week alone, I have received notices on:

• A reported case of conjunctivitis (pink eye) in the classroom
• A reported case of lice (bugs) in the classroom
• Fundraisers #36-42 coming soon!  Get those checkbooks ready!

I fear I suffer from notice fatigue.  When other moms look at me at the bus stop and ask incredulously, "Didn't you get the NOTICE???," I usually feign ignorance and blame it on the teacher.  Poor teachers.  I blame a lot of things on them.  I figure they're used to it. 

Yet one recent field trip notice grabbed my attention.  Have a read:

The part that really caught my eye:  

I consent to my child participating in scheduled activities which include crossing a street and an alley or driveway within 1-2 blocks of the school, with adult supervision.  I understand that there may be a risk of my child sustaining injury.

If I understand the directive here, it is: Your kid may not listen to us, run out into the street, and get hit by a truck. Please don't sue us. Sign here now.

I chuckled as I scribbled my name on the dotted line with a fair measure of confidence.  I have been working on street safety since my kids were 3 years old and riding tricycles.  For as long as I can remember, my cry of "Stop at the alleys and look before you go!" has left my gaggle of little boys thoroughly embarrassed and looking forward to moving out of the house as soon as they can. 

There was a scene in the T.V. series Rescue Me that I think really inspired me to become the Dictator of Street Safety around here.  It was when Denis Leary's character was out watching his son ride his bike on the street.  After witnessing that finale, I was a mess.  I woke up Dan and Jack and told them they would never ever be allowed to ride a bike for as long as I lived.

I have since broken that vow (my husband suggested I was being a tad unreasonable), but the horror of that scene remains.  It was actually a defining moment of my early motherhood.  It might be silly that a fictional television show impacted me for years and altered my parenting style, but it is most certainly the case.  If you view the clip in its entirety, perhaps you might understand.  The street in the scene looks very similar to my own block - cars parked on both sides, regular traffic, etc. 

At Sunday's parade, I witnessed a child dart right out from between two parked cars to cross Maplewood.  Before anyone could react, a minivan came towards him and slammed on the brakes, missing the kid's head by about 6 inches.  The mom driving looked like she was going to drop dead of a heart attack.  The kid kept running. 

Had it not been for that moment, I might have been a little agitated by the whole taking "real" classroom time and devoting it to a skill that I believe parents are ultimately responsible for teaching.  Yet I don't ever want to be that mom in the minivan, or the mom on Rescue Me. 

They make me fun of me sometimes around here with the helmet thing.  Yet this scene is always there.  It is always with me.   

It haunts me.