"Is that a real Polaroid?" Maddie, the 13 year old asks, as Sarah and I look at pictures."It is," I reply.
"Can I hold it?"
"Sure."
Taking it an ancient artifact she examines it like Holy Relic before saying, "Wow."
Then she returns to her Smart Phone, takes pictures of herself to send to boys she's interested in.
__________
"Will you wait and me get into one of the front seats on the bus?" Laurel, the 11 year old asks at 6 a.m. because the Savannah Chatham School System believes families should be punished before their children come to School.
"What's so great about the front seat of the bus?" I ask desperately needing coffee.
"Only the older kids sit in those seats. I'm supposed to sit on the back of the bus and I ain't doing it today."
At that moment the bus pulls to a stop, opens the door, Laurel kisses me, tells me she loves me, and confidently strolls across the street ... climbs the three steps ... and takes a seat by the window on the third row ... and waves at me.
It's been a long time since I've that proud!
________
"Mike?" she mouths, tapping the glass of the sliding glass doors, wrapped in her "Blankie", hair askew from the pillow and half open eyes.
Rising from my desk on the Beloved Back Deck, I open the doors, pick Cassidy the 8 year old, up and she lays her head on my shoulder.
"Are the Cinnamon Rolls ready?"
Her breath smells like a Dragon but throwing her arms around my neck ... it's pure love.
"Almost," I say carrying her back to her bed and her I-Pad.
"I'll let you know when they're ready," I say.
"Okay," she answers in a sweetness only made in Heaven causing me to melt a little.
____________
"Hey! How are you?" Sarah asks causing me to lose my thoughts in the middle of whatever it is I'm doing.
"Good," I strongly reply, "How are you?"
"Good," she says.
My wife is very clear on phone protocol ... this is the way you call someone ... "Hello?" ... "How are you?"
"Kicking Ass," is how I want to respond ... but she just wants to know everything's good.
Once I say "Good" ... then says "Good" ... then everything's "Good" ... regardless of how bad things may be at the moment.
________________
"Daddy are y'all coming?"
It's Kristen who's having a Pool Party with her fellow new Nurses having just graduated.
Sarah's sitting across the table from me answers, "Of course we are."
I'm uncertain why I bothered to answer the phone.
_______________
"Why did you write that?" my Mom says.
"What?" I reply.
"Don't write about me," she scolds.
"It happened that way," I remind her.
"Well you don't go telling everybody," she snaps.
_________________
"Dad, did the tickets come yet," Chelsea text me.
She's asking about UGA Season Tickets.
I take a picture of them and send it to her.
"WOOOO!" she replies.
A 30n year family tradition continues.
"When can we go?" Maddie immediately asks.
"Soon," I tell her.
___________________
"When can we talk?" Jeremy asks.
"Not soon enough," is what I think but he's busy with his girls and I'm busy with mine but we'll keep at it until we do.
___________________
Which leads to the question that George Harrison brilliantly asked ... "What is Life?"
"This is George," I respond. "Wouldn't have it any other way."
