Under Construction

I hate weekends and this one is particularly hard. I won't let this be a source of discouragement, but rather, fresh stimulus. So I am easing my way along this treacherous path which I now find myself. Some days its great big planes and open sky. And other times, the scary road and snow. It's snowing like crazy tonight and that road is scaring the hell out of me. But a wise man recently told me, while on that road, just put on blinders and keep going.

Michel and I had an amazing day. It started with my bad mood towards his laziness. I couldn't help but make my feelings known while he stared at a mindless TV while I scrambled to get him ready for this trip. I finally threw up my hands and shared a few words with him. I can't say he sprung in to action, but he got it. We stood at the kitchen counter, the spot in the corner where all messages are left for one another. Together we formulated a game plan to get him on his way and then we got on our way to get it all done. Starting at the bank we changed dollars into Euros and got over the shock of the bad change it was, $1,000 US = $731 Euros. Stopped at the optometrist to order contacts for 3 months and then let our stomachs do the talking. We went to Cheesecake Factory before the anticipated shopping trip......

And as we sat there at that table in the round room in the back looking across from each other, he just started talking. And there was no stopping the flood of words. It was the most honest communication we have ever shared. We talked. He told me of his teachers and how he feels about higher education. He talked about his friends and the mistakes they have made and the things they do. He went in to his imagination of what he would do after high school and pondered the changes that were coming. He talked about France and surmised that he would lose much weight there, because he was apprehensive of the food he might encounter. We talked about girls and girlfriends. He told me lengthy stories and bad jokes. We ate. We shared calamari and fries.

The entire afternoon flowed in to a sweet memory that I will always have. I forced him to shop for clothes and he pretended to hate it. The result was exceptional!! He is ready to go, as far as garments. The top of the day, was the haircut. This is a sore subject, as he wants it to grow with wild abandon and never comb or care for it. The result makes him look like "cousin it". So I took him to Teresa. His experience in her shop was great. When I enter Teresa's shop, there is just an air of everybody talks to everybody and we mingle and laugh. She is such a pure soul. We entered, she hugged me, she assessed Michel's hair and sat him right down. And the entire shop, employees and clientele, became involved in his story of "going to France". It was a half hour of shop talk. He was comfortable and she did a great job!! He feels good about himself and I am thoroughly satisfied about the day.

I called Phil to tell him about the successful day, because it was a milestone for Michel and I wanted to share his son's enthusiasm. He was less than interested and I was sorry I called. How a parent leaves a child for their own selfish reasons, I will never grasp. Michel has been given a big life to overcome, as both of his parents have now done this to him. As with Vickie, I had to spend time with the man to get to the child on the other side that needed me. I was supposed to be here for Michel. Here I am.

There are times in every ones life when something constructive is born of adversity..... when things seem so bad you've got to grab your fate by the shoulders and shake it!