The morning of Jay's birthday arrived just like any other. Except for the fact that he might have been just a little full of himself.
"I only get better with age, don't I, Mom?" he asked while striking quite the pose.
"I only get better with age, don't I, Mom?" he asked while striking quite the pose.
After I successfully stifled my chuckles I answered, "Yes, you do. Now come on handsome. Follow me. I have a surprise for you."
I led the birthday boy to the front of our house. Before he could start looking around and spoil the surprise I turned around to face him. Walking backwards the rest of the way, I stage-whispered, "Now don't peek behind you until I tell you to look..."
I led the birthday boy to the front of our house. Before he could start looking around and spoil the surprise I turned around to face him. Walking backwards the rest of the way, I stage-whispered, "Now don't peek behind you until I tell you to look..."
I could see the puzzled look on his face as he tried to figure out how his surprise could be behind him when that's the direction we just came from. But he played along and didn't peek - not even once.
When we were nearly in place I said, "Okay, almost there. Now I want you to close your eyes..."
I could tell that he was nearly bursting with excitement.
When we were nearly in place I said, "Okay, almost there. Now I want you to close your eyes..."
I could tell that he was nearly bursting with excitement.
"Are they closed?" I checked.
"Uh huh." He said as he quickly nodded his head.
"Okay, then come stand right here." I guided him to just the right spot. Turned him around to face the house. And finally, said, "Okay, open them."
"Uh huh." He said as he quickly nodded his head.
"Okay, then come stand right here." I guided him to just the right spot. Turned him around to face the house. And finally, said, "Okay, open them."
"When did ya do that to the house?" He asked.
"Dad and I worked late into the night the past few nights. You know how when we play outdoors, we usually go to the area behind the house?" He nodded. "Well, we were counting on that to keep it a secret. We just had to hope you didn't see it before it was finished."
"But why did you take off part of the roof? Don't we need that?"
"No, silly. You didn't see a big hole in the ceiling when you woke up the morning, did you? There's a porch up there. And you can play up there, if you promise not to lean to far over the edge."
"Awesome."
"And there's another surprise up there. Can you see it from here?"
"I see something. What is it?" He asked curiously.
"It's a punching bag. Dad and I thought you'd like to use something like that now that you're getting older. And you won't out grow it for a long time. Actually, Dad and I can use it some too."
"Cool, so you can teach me how to fight." Of course that's what he's excited about.
"Well, I hope you don't ever have to fight. But I do want you to grow up big and strong." I say.
With that he took off running, and I didn't have to ask where he was headed.
"Dad and I worked late into the night the past few nights. You know how when we play outdoors, we usually go to the area behind the house?" He nodded. "Well, we were counting on that to keep it a secret. We just had to hope you didn't see it before it was finished."
"But why did you take off part of the roof? Don't we need that?"
"No, silly. You didn't see a big hole in the ceiling when you woke up the morning, did you? There's a porch up there. And you can play up there, if you promise not to lean to far over the edge."
"Awesome."
"And there's another surprise up there. Can you see it from here?"
"I see something. What is it?" He asked curiously.
"It's a punching bag. Dad and I thought you'd like to use something like that now that you're getting older. And you won't out grow it for a long time. Actually, Dad and I can use it some too."
"Cool, so you can teach me how to fight." Of course that's what he's excited about.
"Well, I hope you don't ever have to fight. But I do want you to grow up big and strong." I say.
With that he took off running, and I didn't have to ask where he was headed.
"This is so, awesome." He said, before he even threw his first punch.
And we spent the rest of the day doing exactly what Jay wanted to do. Playing his favorite games, pretending to bake a cake, beginner lessons on the punching bag. He said it was a perfect day.
And we spent the rest of the day doing exactly what Jay wanted to do. Playing his favorite games, pretending to bake a cake, beginner lessons on the punching bag. He said it was a perfect day.
...
Of course that was quite a few birthdays ago now. Jay has grown up a lot. But he still loves that punching bag. I know that, so I don't have to look for him to tell him goodbye today.
"Jay, sweetie, I'm about to leave for work. You be careful, and don't stay out here for too long." I say out of habit.
"Mom, I know. I'm not a baby anymore you know." He says, but with good humor.
"See. Look at me. I think I've officially reached that 'devilishly handsome, young man stage'."
I can't help but laugh at his little show. Somethings never change.
"Come here, silly. I know you're growing up. Sorry if I still baby you sometimes. But you are my only child, you know. I love you." I tell him.
"Come here, silly. I know you're growing up. Sorry if I still baby you sometimes. But you are my only child, you know. I love you." I tell him.
"I know. You're my only Mom, and I love you too."
"Have a good day. I've got to go now." I say.
"Okay. I'll have supper ready when you get home."
"Love you, bye."
As I walk away I hear Jay call, "Love you too, Mom. Be safe!"
"Have a good day. I've got to go now." I say.
"Okay. I'll have supper ready when you get home."
"Love you, bye."
As I walk away I hear Jay call, "Love you too, Mom. Be safe!"
I pick up the plate that's waiting for me when I walk through the door after work. I'm so tired that I don't even call for Jay to let him know I'm home. I'm sure he knows anyway. He was upstairs working with the punching bag, yet again, as I walked up the street towards the house.
Sure enough, after eating alone for a few short minutes, Jay makes his way down stairs. He plops himself down on the bench right beside me, and when he does both of us catch a strong whiff of some foul odor.
Keep in mind that we live in a world with no clean, running water. Baths or showers are not a luxury we have. We're quite used to living with a fair amount of stinky smells. But this stench is absolutely overpowering. And I think both Jay and I realize what it was at the exact same moment.
Embarrassed, Jay starts to get up - and make a hasty escape to his bed I'm sure.
"No, wait." I say and he reluctantly sits back down. "Don't be embarrassed, sweetie." - though that endearment doesn't seem very accurate at this precise moment - "It's normal to have more body odor at your age."
Jay still looked mortified.
Embarrassed, Jay starts to get up - and make a hasty escape to his bed I'm sure.
"No, wait." I say and he reluctantly sits back down. "Don't be embarrassed, sweetie." - though that endearment doesn't seem very accurate at this precise moment - "It's normal to have more body odor at your age."
Jay still looked mortified.
"Let's face it, Jay, we all pretty much stink now days. It's not that big of a deal. And I can't tell you any details, but I think I might be on to a good lead at work. It could eventually help us with the lack of water problem. So maybe someday we'll be able to wash all our dirt and odors away. But for now... I don't know... what if you just take your shirt off during your work outs?"
"Yeah. Then at least the worst of it won't be on my shirt I guess."
"Exactly. And really, sweetie, it's not a big deal. Try not to feel self-conscious about it." Why couldn't I have controlled my reaction better? I really don't want him to be embarrassed. It's not his fault.
But Jay handles it pretty well. "Okay, Mom. That sounds like a plan. I think I'll just sit over there while you eat right now, though."
He even laughs at himself. How did I manage to raise such a well adjusted young man?
From then on Jay follows that little piece of advice.
"Yeah. Then at least the worst of it won't be on my shirt I guess."
"Exactly. And really, sweetie, it's not a big deal. Try not to feel self-conscious about it." Why couldn't I have controlled my reaction better? I really don't want him to be embarrassed. It's not his fault.
But Jay handles it pretty well. "Okay, Mom. That sounds like a plan. I think I'll just sit over there while you eat right now, though."
He even laughs at himself. How did I manage to raise such a well adjusted young man?
From then on Jay follows that little piece of advice.
It helps... a little.
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