You know the standard movie plot where a kid is home without parents, and, other kids tell everyone there's a party, and, tons of kids show up?

That kind of happened to me last night. Only it was me who was the one alone.

I don't quite know how it snowballed, but, here's the story:

Busy Girl got invited to meet some people at the skating rink last night

She admitted there wouldn't be parents there, so, I told her I'd go with her, and, hang out while she skated.

Busy Girl asks if we can give a ride to one of her soccer teammates since she would already be there with Busy Girl at the soccer practice right before skating. I said, "OK."

Two kids skating.

Teammate rides to practice with Another Girl.

Busy Girl: "Can we give Another Girl a ride, too?"
Me: "Sure."

Three girls, no big deal.

Busy Girl: "Neighbor is going too, can we pick her up?"
Me: "OK, we have room."

Four girls, that's OK, but, I really wish this had been planned ahead of time.

Right before practice:

Busy Girl: "Neighbor's Neighbor" needs a ride, she''ll be at Neighbor's when we get there for dinner".

Dammit, this is getting on my nerves. Still, 5 isn't more than I can handle.

Me: "What dinner? And, now I have to go home and get a van since we have more than the Usurped Toyota can hold."
Busy Girl: "We're going to Neighbor's for dinner before skating. She wanted to have everyone over."
Me:"Neighbor is 12, she doesn't 'have everyone over', her parents invite people for dinner. Do they know about this?"
Busy Girl: "Her father said it was OK."
Me: "Her father ( a friend of ours) isn't at home, and her mother has no idea he said that, does she?"
Busy Girl: "I don't know."

So, I picked everyone up from soccer, and, warily headed over to the Neighbor's.

Why, look! Here's another girl besides Neighbor and Neighbor's Neighbor to add to the three I already have.

Make that 6 kids.

Mother was making pizza, and, thanked me a bit too enthusiastically for our normal interactions. I didn't know what to think.

The kids ate, we loaded up, and, she kept asking me if I "needed help".

Here's where I started to get confused. I was a little miffed at having so many kids, but, I didn't make a big deal out of it, they're good kids, it just wasn't quite what I had planned, but, I had room to take them, and, we were on our way.

I drove kind of slowly because I wasn't thrilled about sitting anywhere the next 3 hours.

We arrived a little late, but, I didn't think it was a big deal since people were just meeting there, whenever.

I walked into the lobby, and, saw several other parents I knew.

"OK, I thought, this isn't that big of a deal, here's some other people."

Then, they all rushed me at the door:

"Thank you SO much!"
"I'm going to be at this movie theater, here's my cell phone number."
"What time do you want me to pick them up?"
"This is great, are you sure?"
Me: (thinking)"Huh? Am a sure about what?"
"The others are already in there, and, I think the boys went to get something to eat."

Me: (thinking)"Boys? What boys?"

Then? They were gone.

Final count? Fourteen.

Apparently, it had gotten out that I was "taking everyone skating."

Busy Girl didn't do it, either.

We have no idea how this got out, but, it was almost too comical for me to be mad about it.

A good time was had by all, but, I kept waiting for all the parents to come out of hiding with Ashton Kutcher behind them.

They never did.