It’s okay we don’t need Tom!

Last week was the week I had been dreading. Thomas was away with the school for a week. Ludicrously, I found myself getting really worked up about all the things that might possibly go wrong. It was so ridiculous that I found myself putting hole in the plastic bags he was taking in case he decided to put them on his head. Why he should get this overwhelming urge, I have no idea. So off he went on Monday morning, with a rucksack that was about the same size as him, trailing vital pieces of clothing and equipment behind him.
We got updates from the school office.
‘Tomorrow, they are doing water sports.’
‘Oh God he’s going to drown!’
Alex, my youngest, was far more laid back. He got to sit in the front seat of the car all the time.
‘Isn’t it great mum? We don’t have to wait for Tom, so we’re on time.’
‘Isn’t it great mum, you don’t have to try and be in two places at the same time?’
‘Isn’t it great mum…..’
I got the impression that Alex was pretty glad that his older brother wasn’t around. However, by the end of the week, he no longer liked being the centre of attention and welcomed his brother back with open arms.
Of course Tom did leave stuff behind. He forgot his money for the tuck shop, so a teacher bailed him out. Oh and his sleeping bag!
Friday finally arrived and I was very excited to see him. I was surprised at the big hug I got from him, though not very happy about the new language he spoke.
‘How was it Tom?’
‘Well good.’
‘No, I think you mean it was very good.’
‘Yeah whatever.’
‘No, you mean ‘That’s right, that’s what I meant.’
My persistence paid off and soon he was speaking like a normal human being again. The rucksack was dumped in the kitchen, and I opened it with great trepidation. To be fair he had had the presence of mind to put his dry stuff in a plastic bag. The dry stuff being a pair of underpants. However, everything else was pretty wet, so much so that it was seeping through my rucksack. A load later I felt slightly back in control of my son’s well being, though I am not happy about him forgetting his sleeping bag!

~ by envisioningutopia on July 1, 2012.