Part 19 (1/2)
”Buthe's adorable He's setit” I mean,lose thetie,what's nottoloveaboutthiskid?
”I've beengoingover everything alltomakesenseofit”Shelooksoutthe
”Ourapplicationcoachtoldushewas a shoo-inforCollegiate” ”My father did say this was the most competitive year they've ever had They were inundated with qualified applicants and probably had toin mind that the applicants are four and you can't exactly ask thehts on the federal deficit or wheretheyseetheht your father liked Grayer when heto the rainy afternoonI tookhi 'RainbowConnection'together”
”HJustinteresting,that's all”
”Mydad's notreallyinvolvedat all withtheadht Well, I wanted to talk to you because I'iate sweatshi+rt may have set Grayer's expectations in a certain direction and I want to ensure that? She's interrupted by the phone ”Hold on” She answers it ”hello? Oh, hi, SallyNo, our letters haven't coratulations,that's excellentWell, Ryan's a veryspe-- cial little boyYes, that would be great I know Grayer would love to go to school with RyanYes, dinner would be lovelyOh, the four of us? I'll have to check my husband's schedule Let's talk after theweekendGreat Bye!” Shetakes a deepbreathandclenchesher jaw ”WherewasI?”
”Grayer's expectations?”
”Oh, yes I'iate may have set him up for a potentiallydeleterious self-esteem adjustment”
i(T___?
”No, please don't feel bad It's reallyyou to do it I should have been hsandshakesherhead ”ButIspoketo-ter parents and caregivers through this transition She'll be co by tomorrohile Grayer's in piano and she's asked to speak with you separatelytoassess yourroleinhis developo through the doorway ”Urn” I stick my head back in
”ShouldI notlethimwearit today?”
”What?” Shereachesforhercoffee
”Thesweatshi+rt”
”Oh Well, he can wear it today and then we'll let the consultant tell us how to handle this situation too back out to where Grayer, seated in the banquette, is watching Connie polish the stove, while absent with the tie around his neck, and wonder if perhaps we're not focusingonthewrongpieceofapparel
I sit in the chair next to Mrs X's desk, waiting for the consultant, and surreptitiously try to read, upside down,thenotesscrawledonMrs X's notepadEventhoughit's probablynothingrocery list, the fact that I have been left alone in here makes me feel as if I should be covert
If I had a camera hidden in a button onon thedeskI'hattheideaofitwhenthewoman enters,briefcasefirst
”Nanny” She reaches out to firmly shake my hand ”I'm Jane Jane Gould How are you today?” She speaks just a little too loudly, eyeing lasses as she puts her briefcase down on Mrs X's desk
”Fine,thanks Howare you?” I am suddenlyverycheerfulandalso a littletooloud
”Just fine Thank you for asking” She crosses her arms over her cranberry-colored blazer and nods rhyth lipsinto the lines aroundher mouth
I nodbackather
She looks down at her watch ”So, Nanny I'et started”
Sheproceedstomentioneachactionasshedoes ituntilshe's seatedinMrs X's chair,penpoised
”Nanny, our objective over the course of the next forty-five minutes is to assess Grayer's perceptions and expectations I would like you to share withyou currently hold of your role andresponsibilitiessurroundingGrayer's criticalpathwith regardtothenextstratuherstatement inmyheadtolocatethequestion
”Nanny, in your first quarter at the X residence, hoould you characterize your performance in relationtoGrayer's acade him up from school But, honestly, there wasn't a lot of academic activity to?
”I see,soyoudonotconsideryourself anactive, dynaendaduringhis scheduledplaytiht Grayer really likes to play trains Oh, and dress up So I try to do activities that he enjoys I wasn't aware thathehadanagendaforplaytiehim inpuzzles?”
”Hedoesn't likepuzzlesso?
”Whenwasthelasttime youpracticedcircles?”
”I'm suresometime inthelastehadthecrayons out?
”DoyouplaytheSuzukitapes?”
”Onlywhenhetakes a bath”
”Haveyoubeenreadingtohimfrom theWall Street Journal?”
”Well, actually?
”TheEconomist7”
”Not really?
”TheFinancialTihs heavily and scribbles furiously on her pad She begins again ”How hiht,but I usuallyserveveg!gieburgers”
”AndyouareattendingtheGuggenheiototheMuseuyareyoufollowingtodress hiashe'll be comfortable?
”You don't utilize anApparelChart,then?”
”Not really?