TERRY AND JUNE MOMENT

I got myself into a sit com moment in the playground waiting for the last bell.

I found myself in a conversation with another mum, with me talking about one thing and she was talking about another.

It was to do with fostering.

I'm used to school railings looks. That is, when you foster you get used to mums gossiping about the fact that you foster. Not in a bad way actually, if anything the opposite. They are usually very respectful and you sometimes get really nice compliments about it.

"It's a wonderful thing what you do" etc

Nice.

So I'm used to mums introducing themselves and doing a bit of fishing. People have natural curiosity about others - so do I come to think of it. Being interested in people is a boon in fostering.

So. A mum comes up and casually says hello and I say hello. She says it's a bit cold for the time of year and I reply we weren't sure if it was long trousers or shorts this morning.

She says she's guessing I'm Rachel's mum and I say yes. She says that her daughter Tamsin has asked if Rachel can come round for tea one evening, will that be alright.

I say great.

She goes on "Only I may as well mention that Tamsin doesn't make friends easily so I'm very pleased about this"

I say "Yes, Rachel has struggled to make friends"

True. Foster children often find it hard, what with everything going on in their lives.

Then she says "You see, Tamsin has low level Aspergers"

I say I'm sorry to hear that.

The mum goes on "The only other thing is to ask is if Rachel is alright with dogs?"

I say yes, loves dogs. How many?

"Two Westies"

I ask "Have you always had two together?"

She replies "We got them when we were fostering"

Ah. 

"So" I says "You don't foster any more?"

"No we stopped when Tamsin came along"

"Did you have many?"

"Yes" she said "Quite a few. Hard work"

I agreed, it can be hard work, but worth it. She agreed, she said "What would happen to them otherwise?"

I asked if she missed it, she said no, not now she had two of her own. She added that they'd had a difficult one, and it led to a re-think. I asked what had happened.

"He was a biter."

"Oh dear"

"He was dangerous. So after a lot of agonising we had him put down".

Silence.

I asked her who she fostered with. She replied "Fostering For Dogs"

"Ah" I said.

The children were coming out.

"See you tomorrow" we said.

As Homer says; 

Doh.