Actively raising a frat boy

A 3-1/2 day cable outage has been incredibly irritating but
it has also made for some lovely mornings with the laptop propped up on the
kitchen counter while I make breakfast, music filtering out to the rhythm of
fresh coffee brewing.

Today, we had pancakes and yogurt, sitting at the table
instead of in front of a kiddie show – a habit born out of survival in the
early days of living with my parents and lingering only so I can shower in the
morning now.

None of that justification mattered this morning as Lil E
dipped his pancake into maple syrup and we talked about the day ahead. Nina
Gordon was playing in the shuffle. It made me wish every day could start out so
lovely.

That is, until the boy looked up at me, clearly inspired,
eyebrows raised and eyes shining.

“MOMMY!”

I raised my eyebrows back at him to meet his enthusiasm.

“Yes, baby?”

“MOMMY! When are we going to boob town?”

Fortunately, I spent many years with his father and my
reaction – or lack of reaction – was so well-practiced that I didn’t even have
to think about relaxing every facial muscle, lowering my eyebrows and staring
back at him blankly. Giving it any kind of attention would only incite more
testosterone production.

He sat there, almost as if he’d had a decade or more of
practice in this game himself, meeting my stare and with a slight smile curling
at the edge of his lips.

“Eat a bite of pancake,” I said flatly. And he laughed and
scooped a huge bite dripping with syrup into his little mouth.

We have a long road ahead of us. And possibly a future
filled with side-slung messenger bags and Grateful Dead bear etched bongs and
frequent user cards for the tanning salon and keg-getting place. I’m not ready
for all that yet, but I’m bracing myself. And scrambling to ditch any evidence
whatsoever of the fraternity that might be alerted to all the possibility in
this preschool legacy.

Comments

[furiousBall]

boob town is the whole reason i got my passport

[Mat]

I think he should be referred to as a "Fraternity Man." "Frat Boy" is really demeaning, dontcha think? ;)

[Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass)]

Considering almost every grown up fraternity person has referred to fellow fraternity persons as "frat dicks"....no. I think "frat boy" is quite suitable. :)

[Mat]

I think you missed the irony of me calling "Frat Boy" demeaning after he asked you when you are going to "boob town." :)

[kbreints]

Some times a cable outage is as blessing...