Friday, June 30, 2017

Day off

My son came over on his day off to spend time with his mama, staying late into the night so he could also hang out with his dad, because his dad had texted him that it had been ages since he'd seen him. He'd been working up at camp for two weeks, and working almost non-stop before and after that. "I knew it was time to come see you," he said, "because if Pops said it was ages, then I knew it had to really be a long time. Daddy doesn't usually seem to notice those things."


His girlfriend came by for a couple of hours, too, and she and my son and I sat at the kitchen counter and chatted as we do, catching up on everything. Then she had to go to work and my son and I cabbed it down to Battery Park to visit my niece, who was having what she called "a PJ and puzzle day" before her residency schedule gets crazy busy next week. We got lunch from the fancy deli downstairs, and had an easy, laid back time, until my husband texted that he was home and where were we, and so we traveled back uptown in an Uber.


There was traffic, but I enjoyed the time with my son. He's such a great conversationalist, so thoughtful and funny, and now that we don't live together, we get on so well! Back home, he and his dad settled down to watch the shoot-em-up action flick John Wick 2 while I returned a few phone calls from earlier in the day. Then, at almost 11 pm, my husband and I drove him back to Astoria, where we watched him throw his knapsack over one shoulder, grab his mandolin, and saunter up the path to his home. The silhouette of him against the light of his front door was of an incredibly cool and well-made young man, and my husband shook his head and said, "The raising of him went so damn fast. I remember the baby we brought home." There was pride and wonder in his words, and he knew I shared what he was feeling. It was a deep comfort.


9 comments:

  1. So lovely, all of this. Is it silly that your husband's words made me tear up? I feel you. Those quiet comfortable moments with our adult children are a treasure, aren't they? Soak it all in my friend. And your niece is brilliant; I need a PJs and puzzle day here too. xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely! You deserve that comfort from a job well done. What a thoughtful, fine young man.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  3. A wonderful post, and a job well done as parents! Enjoy the weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It is just amazing what some distance can do for our relationships with our adult children! I'm glad for you that you had such a good time. Those are memories to treasure just as much as the big events.

    ReplyDelete
  5. WOW. That is so beautiful. You know how much these stories of your children moving on and being independent mean to me -- I'm following them, and you and your husband, taking you all deep into my mind and heart, remembering.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm in love with you and your family💕💕!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Like Mel, I teared up too.
    I know. I know. I know.
    It's amazing and all so fast that it's unbelievable. Like a magic trick that happened when we weren't looking, leaving us stunned and wondering.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful, perfect day. I love that he plays the mandolin! Have a wonderful weekend.Big love.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your comment about finding it easy to be with your son now that he's moved out resonated with me -- my mom said the same after living with HER parents as a young adult. When she moved out, their relationship (which was always good but occasionally tense) eased. There comes a time when young people need that independence, right? I didn't know your son plays the mandolin. I can just picture him standing at that door.

    ReplyDelete