Back to School
This week my wife has certainly done all of the heavy lifting as she gets the boys ready to return to school. There have been teeth cleanings, doctor appointments, school clothes shopping, and permission slips that have had to be signed. I've done little to help, because as they are willing to tell me - they like her better anyway. Seriously, it's a lot of work and I'm sort of happy to be out of the loop on this one.
Yet I always feel some sort of excitement around this time of year. I remember being in grade school waiting on the new lunch box. I remember being in high school wondering if I had the cool clothes that would finally attract all the beautiful girls. I should have realized back then that dressing well wasn't my finest attribute.
Yet most of all I remember returning to college - or better yet - going to college the first time. I recall my mom and dad dropping me off to a school and a city where I knew absolutely no one - I remember thinking that it was time to grow up, but I was real sad and lonely that first night - thinking - I miss my Mom. (Dad was an after-thought in that scenario - even though I can't say I liked Mom better - I just think it's natural to think of Mom - bear with me, I'm justifying here).
Anyway, the very next day I met Rosie, and Gag, and Fluffy, and Luke, and Bert - and it was on! We drank, laughed and acted like idiots for the next six months. Boy, I miss that.
Yesterday I was up near Syracuse University where I saw a mother hugging her son - goodbye for the semester - I presume. The son had on an Orange hat, was lugging a small 'fridge (for vitamin drinks) and he never turned back. Mom wiped her tears away and after a little while took off away from the school.
Things have changed since I went to college. For one - the stakes are a lot higher - the school I graduated from costs about $35000 a year now - I went for roughly the tutition my kids pay for Catholic School. I imagine that mother was crying because she realized that as Junior went on the drinking binge of his life, she'd have to stock up on macaroni and cheese.
Going back to school has a concrete feel to it - even the worst of students feels a twinge of excitement - a rebirth of sorts. I hope my boys enjoy it because life doesn't break for two months later on - then again, it could be worse - I could be my poor wife, having to prepare for all of the fun.
Tomorrow we talk about some of the best college school pranks and moments - like waking up to see my roommate emerge from the bathroom with my toothbrush in his mouth. Here went the dialogue:
Me: Dude, that's my toothbrush.
Him: I know. I lost mine.
Me: You lost yours? When?
Him: About two weeks ago - calm down I'm almost done.
Me: Please keep it, you sick bastard.
Yet I always feel some sort of excitement around this time of year. I remember being in grade school waiting on the new lunch box. I remember being in high school wondering if I had the cool clothes that would finally attract all the beautiful girls. I should have realized back then that dressing well wasn't my finest attribute.
Yet most of all I remember returning to college - or better yet - going to college the first time. I recall my mom and dad dropping me off to a school and a city where I knew absolutely no one - I remember thinking that it was time to grow up, but I was real sad and lonely that first night - thinking - I miss my Mom. (Dad was an after-thought in that scenario - even though I can't say I liked Mom better - I just think it's natural to think of Mom - bear with me, I'm justifying here).
Anyway, the very next day I met Rosie, and Gag, and Fluffy, and Luke, and Bert - and it was on! We drank, laughed and acted like idiots for the next six months. Boy, I miss that.
Yesterday I was up near Syracuse University where I saw a mother hugging her son - goodbye for the semester - I presume. The son had on an Orange hat, was lugging a small 'fridge (for vitamin drinks) and he never turned back. Mom wiped her tears away and after a little while took off away from the school.
Things have changed since I went to college. For one - the stakes are a lot higher - the school I graduated from costs about $35000 a year now - I went for roughly the tutition my kids pay for Catholic School. I imagine that mother was crying because she realized that as Junior went on the drinking binge of his life, she'd have to stock up on macaroni and cheese.
Going back to school has a concrete feel to it - even the worst of students feels a twinge of excitement - a rebirth of sorts. I hope my boys enjoy it because life doesn't break for two months later on - then again, it could be worse - I could be my poor wife, having to prepare for all of the fun.
Tomorrow we talk about some of the best college school pranks and moments - like waking up to see my roommate emerge from the bathroom with my toothbrush in his mouth. Here went the dialogue:
Me: Dude, that's my toothbrush.
Him: I know. I lost mine.
Me: You lost yours? When?
Him: About two weeks ago - calm down I'm almost done.
Me: Please keep it, you sick bastard.
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