Who do you talk to? I talk to machines

Corrine Thorne - 10 Apr 16

As a single mum one of the hardest things I find is that I can go a whole day without talking to anyone.

I talk to my 2 year old and its riviting I promise. We talk about cars, trains and aeroplanes, whether he wants his socks on or off and what he’d like for his 15th choice of breakfast. As mush as you love them, after a while you kind of go a bit crazy.

Someone once told me that no matter what you do, make sure you get out atleast once a day. I get that. Sitting in these walls all day with another sock argument or a little chat about how juice does not act as a cleaning agent on the furniture, can be lonely.

I could sit and chat online to people but thats not the same.

Me: “hi, how are you?”

Them: “yeah good”

Me: “great, kids ok?”

Them, “Yep, hold on johnny just put the cat down the toilet, gotta go”.

Me: “ok, nice chat, catch up soon”.

See, its all social in the world of a stay at home mum haha. So I take the advice I have been given. I get him dressed for the 2nd time, wash the breakfast off his face and try to prise the 3 dinosaurs, that just have to come with us, from his tiny hands. Note, that they now have to sit at the top of the stairs (in a flat) and wait for him to come home!

Shoes, coat, brain, all in check.

Walk to Sainsbury’s local across the road, why not I need milk, eggs and toilet roll. Johnny may put the cat down their toilet, but as we dont have a cat a whole roll of toilet paper will do just as well!.

So far I’ve spoke to the green man, only thing that flashes me these days. Talked to the red car, blue car, bus driver. Explain to my son that we can’t get on the bus, we are going to the shop. Discuss how crying won’t make a difference.

We are at the doors, in we go. Thankfully he’s in a buggy or I’d be doing some exercise in there too running after him and tidying up after him (that never ends). We get stopped by one old lady, “isn’t he cute?”, yes he is, thank you I say, pride beaming. End of conversation while she chats away to my child. This will happen a few times… he’s cute, can’t be helped :).

Get the shopping and make our way to the till, there’s a queue so I head to the selfservice check out. I start scanning and this shrill voiced machine lady asks if I’d like a bag, no thanks i’m good. (I have about 100 as I keep forgetting them!). Scan beep, is that really what you wanted to buy? yep. Scan beep, have you checked the weight of that? yep. Scan beep, take all of the items out of the bag and start again as you forgot to weigh that last banana. Banana in hand, held like a gun pointed at the till in the hope that I can shoot the annoying voiced robot lady. Scan beep. all packed up, no I do not need any more bags, yes I’d like to pay cash, yes I have scanned my card. Thanks for thanking me for shopping with you today. By now I am ready to kill someone, I’m more stressed than I was before I left the flat. I am worn out from having an argument with a robot and I just want to go home.

Go to the lights, talk to green man, cars and bus….. where’s your shoe??, get shoe, cross road. Try to get upstairs while he’s emptying the shopping bag looking for chocolate (didn’t buy chocolate!). I say hello to the dinosaurs and then put my son in the front room.

Kitchen…unpack shopping.

FORGOT THE MILK!!!!

I’m not going back there, don’t make me go back there…..they make me talk to them!!!

Corrine Thorne

I am a 40+ single mum to a toddler, recently became a metalsmith after making glass jewellery for a number of years. I hope to build a small at home business doing what I love. I also make memorial jewellery for people. My son is my world And after too many years not being a mummy I am blessed to have this little guy. Life has not and is not plain sailing. I suffer with anxiety and depression but keep ticking over. His smile helps me daily.

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