Nanny Nightmares – DWI (Chapter 4)

Driving While Interviewing

Technology is great – it allows us to multi-task. As a momtrepreneur, I always seem to be trying to do more than one thing at a time. Interviewing nanny candidates is no exception. I saw nothing wrong with trying to get an errand done during lunch and interviewing a potential nanny while I was driving. It was all local driving and I knew my way.

The Newton Center intersection… I was waiting to turn left at a five-way intersection. I was in the middle of interviewing Anne. She seemed pleasant and had excellent nanny experience. I started to ask questions about her responsibilities. The light turned green and I was the fourth car from the light. I explained that there would be no cleaning other than any mess she and the kids might make. There was a lot of traffic… But there would be laundry. All four cars waiting to turn left pulled into the middle of the intersection waiting for a break in traffic. Hmm, you don’t mind doing the laundry. Good. All three cars ahead of me turned left just as the green light turned yellow. I was the last of four cars to turn. Oh, you will not wash our private things. The light of course turns red as I start to turn left. …and you’re not comfortable going into my husband’s and my bedroom. (Aside, what does she think we do or have in there anyway?) I couldn’t back up and didn’t want to sit in the middle of a 5-way intersection, so I move forward – left on a red light – yikes.

Suddenly there’s a siren and a cop pulls me over. Hearing the sirens in the background, I tell Anne I have to go. I practically break into tears – I can’t handle it all – work, kids, nanny, laundry. The policeman told me that the three cars ahead of me deserved a ticket too, but he was only able to pull me over since I was the last in the line. It was my lucky day – a moving violation and another nanny candidate down the tubes, even if she had some hang-ups about dirty laundry. I felt like crying. Maybe if I had, I wouldn’t have gotten a ticket. Now I’ll have to appeal my ticket in municipal court. My husband will not be happy with me. No more DWI for me (Driving While Interviewing)! Stay tuned for Chapter 5 of Nanny Nightmares.