My boy's coming of age

Coming of Age. It's exciting to see it happen in front of our eyes. We aren't often 'awake' to see it unfold although month and years later we can recall it as one of those 'moments.' Sunday, instead of taking my son bowling (you'll recall I mentioned he was working me for a trip to the bowling alley) I took him shopping for a desktop pc. We first went to Fry's Electronics, then later over to Best Buy. Nothing in the desktop world really excited me since the prices were higher than i'd expected. HOWEVER, and this is a big one, Best Buy had a killer sale on a laptop computer. Chris gets bored with such shopping and scurried off to play video games in the store. While he was gone I purchased the laptop and gave it to him to carry while we walked out. At first he didn't realize that it was his very first laptop, then I told him what I'd done. You never saw a kid's eyes grow sooooo huge!

When we got home I had to set up a Wifi network at his mother's home. All went smoothly, and I headed to his new laptop. He was all over it, wanting to help unbox it, asking questions about it. He was sooooo excited to know we could play games on Yahoo Messenger and chat with each other and even webcam at some point. Then he starts talking about how much home work he'll get done on it. I could tell he was making every effort to 'play to the audience' with his more mature understanding of it's usefulness.

I could tell from how he started to learn the dynamics of the laptop keyboard and the little finger pad pointer control that owning a laptop was right on schedule for him. Chris has a sister, Gina, but she is 9 years older and in college now. Both of my kids were essentially raised as 'only children' because of the age difference. Both love each other dearly but always wanted a sibling younger than them. Gina got her wish, Chris probably won't at this point. Buying kids gifts like this is the perk for being alone so much, there must be some benefit to an only child. Still, he got excited like any kid would at receiving a symbol of maturity. In his eyes only more mature young men are given such responsibility. Coming of age... my son will never be the same again. His future is more in his control now, at least in his eyes, than before. It's nice for me to be 'awake' to this time in his life.

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Today I Was A Soccer Dad

Saturday was a day that is not played out often in my life. I took my son to a soccer game. Last night it rained like I was in Washington in February, some of the rain lingered into the early morning light. I heard my cell phone as it received the morning weather alert precisely at 8:10 AM as it does every morning and duely ignored it. Chris however arose and left the room to watch Saturday morning cartoons. I remember as a kid on my game days being just as interested in watching Johnny Quest or Captain America as I was in winner my baseball or soccer game too. I got up, showered and off we went to a late morning meal at McDonald's. He didn't talk so much about the game, he was working me for a bowling outting. We ate at McD's and returned home. Today was a lazy day of just being around each other. He'd look over my shoulder to read IM's and I'd walk by him while he watched TV just to run my fingers through his thick black hair enroute to some other room. It had a familiar feel to that of our summers together. I was at peace, he seemed to be also.

As game time drew closer Chris started to drop hints of leaving in time. He knew we'd have to stop to buy some energy foods for him and was worried we'd miss some of the practise before the game. At one point he said, "Dad, if we don't leave in 2 minutes, we're going to be late!" He was unware that i was ready to leave, and at his two minute mark I told him to gather his things and we'd head out. Of course we got him the food and made it in time for the start of his practise. He was happy to have 'told me' when to leave, I could tell.

Chris is a young man without guile, innocent about most thing and naive to match. Isn't that what we want in our kids as long as possible?

The collage is of his pregame practise. I enjoy seeing him interact with the other kids his ages, he's so well accepted. The pictures freeze this moment in time for me and I wanted to share them.

The evening continued with me showing up at my ex's home with Chris to drop off his laundry and build a computer desk she had just purchased for him. Chris was excited to have me in the home being a family with him, his mother, and his step father. He asked me if I was happy to be there. I know it meant alot for him to hear my answer. "Yes Chris, I am happy to be here."

Today, life was good to me. Today I forgot about work and taxes and bills. Today I was a soccer dad. Tomorrow, I will return Chris to his home. Tomorrow I will see my daughter and I will morph into the 'Cool dad' that her boyfriend must meet. Tomorrow, life will be good one more time.

Again I observe this truth.... I have no problems.

Thanks for reading this far.