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<h4>By Lee Scott</h4>
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<p>My friend Cindy called me one day and asked if I wanted to go on a field trip.</p>
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<p>Even before she finished speaking, my mind started to think about the dreaded field trips of my youth. I recalled the old school buses with no air-conditioning, the nuns in sneakers (a foreign look for us students) and endless straight lines.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Then there were those places where the only way to get a drink of water was a public water fountain, usually one with little water pressure. Each child would suck on the water spigot to get a drink. A practice that reduced me to either not getting a drink of water or wiping off the faucet with my shirt.</p>
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<p>There were also the bathroom breaks which required us standing in straight lines alphabetically. Those of us with names at the end of the alphabet always suffered.</p>
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<p>Then I recalled the last field trip with my thirteen-year-old daughter’s class.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>On the way to the school bus, she spent the entire time telling me what not to do.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>“Mom, please do not embarrass me,” was the theme. “Keep your voice down.” “Do not single me out.” “Act like you don’t know me.”</p>
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<p>I took it all like a trooper since I would not allow my own mother to attend any of my field trips.</p>
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<p>Despite this, as Cindy finished telling me about the field trip, I decided it was worth the attempt.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>After all it had been years and I like to challenge myself and put bad memories behind me.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>There would be 17 of us attending the Savannah Historic House and Garden Tour (a fundraiser) and we would be going in five cars. It would be an all-day event since we would be driving to Savannah, touring the homes, and then going out to a late lunch.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Despite my fears, it turned out to be a perfect field trip.</p>
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<p>Cindy had worked in the public-school system for years and had the organizational skills needed to get the group where we needed to be. She had addresses, the map, and the tickets.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>I’m not sure if she ordered the weather too, but it was a perfect day to walk around Savannah.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The 17 women all chatted with one another, and there was no sense of favoritism with the leader.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>At no time did she tell us to be silent and line up alphabetically. She also incorporated bathroom breaks into the day, one of which included walking through a beautiful park that had clean bathrooms and clean water fountains.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>And finally, although Cindy did have on sneakers, she was not wearing a nun’s habit.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Good job, Cindy!&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Time for another field trip!<br></p>
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