Yesterday, 19-yr-old turned 20.
I hadn't talked to him in about a week. I came home from work, and my 12 year old says, "Mom, call 20-yr-old." So I do, at the provided number, one I don't recognize.
20-yr-old: Mom*, I'm stranded in Springfield.
ManyMom: Happy Birthday!
20-yr-old: Thanks. Mom, I'm stranded in Springfield.
[...]
Long story short, he wants me to come rescue him. so i do.
******
At midnight, as I am bleary eyed and going to bed, he is chirpily making impromptu plans for a party the next day. AT MY HOUSE. clever child. I missed all the details, warm and fuzzy in loving him; who says no?At 7:22 am, I suddenly bolt out of bed, remembering no one put out the garbage.
"20-yr-old, go put the garbage out." Which he does, good lad.
20-yr-old: Mom, can you like, get up and clean a little?
ManyMom: What? What? 20-yr-old, no. I'm not up. You're seeing things"
[pause]
20-yr-old: Mom, they're gonna be here at 9.
ManyMom: WHAT?!? You knowingly invited people to be here, at my house, at 9 IN THE MORNING? Why? Why would you do that?
20-yr-old: [flipping explanation deleted, because it was not even remotely a good enough reason]
ManyMom: WHY did you think that would be a good idea?
20-yr-old: Well, at 3:42am, when we decided this, it seemed like a good idea.
ManyMom: sigh, yes, I guess it would.
I remember those days.
So, I remind him that NO ONE gets to talk to me until I've had coffee and he'd better go meet his friend at the bus stop and NOT bring him home at 9 am. In exchange, I will cook for them, get snacks and promise not to embarrass him too much in front of his friends when they return LATE in the afternoon.
20-yr-old: Mom, um, can I, like, have some money...for bus fare?
ManyMom: I don't have any money right now. You have to plan ahead. I haven't been to the bank yet. I have no money. Hey, where's your money?
20-yr-old: Well, can't you just, like, write me a check or something?
ManyMom: For bus fare?
20-yr-old: Mom, can I make you some coffee or something?
Goodness, but I love being his Mom.
UPDATE: They showed up at 10am. TEN. /exasperation!
_______________________________________________________________
*Last week, 20-year-old, after emptying my entire refrigerator, sidles up to me and stares over my shoulder while I'm catching up on your blogs, until I turn around with eyes wide as dinner plates to tell him to STTOOOOOPPPPP IT.
"um, can I like, call you my mom? Will you be my mom? Like, can I tell my friends that's who you are?"
/melt, melt, melt
3 comments:
i (think) i am looking forward to moments like these.
I love reading your mom stories. I get to enjoy the joys and tribulations of motherhood without actually having to deal with it :-)
@ schrack:
I love love love the duality of exasperation, laughter, joy, irritation, more exasperation. I always know that when 20 yr.old comes home I will have a whirlwind of chaos for awhile, and that as long as I relinquish to the flow it will be fun. And it is, even when I come home at 3 am (from juicy dances!) and the neighbors tell me he woke them by yelling, and I ask what he was yelling about, and he says, "I wasn't yelling. I was siiiinging. The neighbors just don't appreciate art when they hear it."
@ Johanna: Glad to be of service.
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