Driven to sleep

Not that long ago the idea of using a large portion of the petrol in my tank simply by driving Son to sleep was just crazy. He hated the car so much that the less time spent in it, the more peaceful for us all. Now Baby M is like that, but if I want to get Son to sleep during the day, driving him around is the only way. We even have a special route. It's not quite like driving from Clifton to Hout Bay, but it has some pretty parts.

We drive along the Umbilo cemetery's tree-lined road before turning right at the bridge. Bridge of Squalor, let it be called, is where trash cascades down the banks and concrete walls are black from vagrants' fire. We get to a lake where we open our windows and look through the trees to the water. "No ducks", Son always says, disappointed. Sometimes there are hadedas or Minors pecking in the grass. He watches leaves fall and I wonder why the municipal truck, with its 20 workers, is always parked there; the workers seemingly on an endless lunch break. We begin our lap around the lake. "What's that?" Son always asks as we pass two rusty old machines. "They are rusty old machines," I tell him. We continue past the park full of attractive and forbidden equipment. On the other side of the lake we stop again. "No ducks", says Son.

Heading back now after reaching our "Hout Bay", we pass the rusty old machines again. Today I stop because it seems the municipal workers are busy with them. I ask what the machines are for and am told they remove sand, and sometimes toys, from the sewage. Cool. There are sewage strainers at our Hout Bay.

The route home is slightly different. We continue past Bridge of Squalor and onto Lane of "Million Trucks". Chances are we'll have a train pass us. This is very exciting for Son but makes me anxious as he is not supposed to be getting excited. Even more exciting for him is the fire station where the friendly firemen (and woman) offer to show him round the truck. I have declined till now but will take them up on it soon. The fact that they switch the "Beebom lights" on for him is excitement enough on this drive that's supposed to culminate in sleep.

Today it took excruciatingly long. When finally he was asleep and I tried to carry him inside he woke up. He is now making a car line on the carpet. I could quite easily have a sleep myself though. Even with Son's little dumper truck as my pillow.