Whose at the Corner?

I was heading out for an appointment yesterday afternoon when I noticed groups of people gathered at the entrances to local developments.

The groupings certainly weren't school kids waiting for the bus... were they? My internal clock has been out of whack recently but surely I hadn't misplaced an entire half day. No, of course not, it would be pitch black were it three-thirty in the morning.

They certainly weren't students returning home. Kids scatter the minute they're off the bus. They don't linger on street corners.

Once I was close enough to make positive identification I realized the groups were comprised of adults.

A light went on. These were parents of elementary school students waiting for their children to arrive home from the first day at school.

I reasoned they had children in first or second grade. By third grade the novelty wears off. Come to think of it, by third grade parents get blown off. Hi Mom, Dad, got'ta run Tommy and I agreed to meet by the swings right after school. See ya.