Oh Boy!

I saw Zach yesterday during his lunch hour (I was at the school to drop off a lunch for Sam (don't tell his Dad or Dr. Wells that I did that). He was happy and busy with friends. He waved to me and ran over to the car to say "hello."

When he came home he got a phone call and headed into the den. He stopped to ask if it'd be alright for him to set up instant messenger or create a face book account, since he doesn't have a cell phone to text with, and he'd been assigned to work with a partner on a "Jingle."

His classmate was worried that they weren't going to be able to work together with out those afore mentioned resources. I told him that he could talk to him on the home phone (he was doing so now) and that they'd get through this. He smiled. "My mom doesn't fell good about setting up face book," he said into that archaic device.

When I returned a few minutes later he was emailing back and forth on my yahoo.
After 30 minutes, he received another phone call. He came up to ask me if he could walk up to a friend's house -- they needed to talk. (What about the phone call they'd just had?) I reminded him of his imminent piano lesson. He returned a minute later and reported that Jacob would meet him, and the two of them could walk to his lesson together.

He returned after an hour. I asked, "How'd you do at Piano?" "Good." --The phone rings. He answers. It's for him. He starts wandering while he talks. He's laughing a lot. He's smiling and making jokes. "What is this?" I wonder. He makes another joke. "This must be a girl," I decide. I don't know how I feel about this.
Another minute of his pacing and smiling and plopping down on the couch in the living room (he never goes in there).

"Hey, Zackie?"
Into the phone,"just a minute... Yeah Mom?"
"Umm what are you doing?" (Probing parental question)
He comes in the kitchen with his hand over the receiver." I have to do Spanish assignment with a partner. And I don't have face book..."
"Okay" (I say hesitantly)
To the mystery friend, "My mom says I need to hurry."

Several minutes more. I'm searching my memory for how I felt in 7th grade. I'm pretty sure I talked to some boys on the phone. Some of those boy's parents seemed kind of strict. Hmmm.

"Hey, Zach?"
Into the phone,” My mom just called me, so that means she needs my help with something --gotta go. ----Yeah---See ya tomorrow."

Back in the kitchen he sighs, "Sheesh -- this is what I call a social homework day!"
"Uh-huh" I respond. "So...who is your partner for Spanish?"
"Oh that girl I was telling you about. She sure gets distracted easily. I kept trying to get her back on track so we could finish the homework, but she could just talk for ever."

"So mom, Jacob wants to have a late night for Halloween."
I'm trying to coax SkyMax to open wide for an oatmeal/carrot combo.
"You know, Mom, Jake and I really haven't been able to spend much time together."
"Are you saying you're not going to be celebrating with the family at all?"
He smiles and shakes his head a little, "Mo-om."
"Hey -- I'm still doing baby food around here. I'm not ready for you to spend your evenings on the phone and computer and then leave us on holidays."
He laughs. "Oh, Mama --you're so funny. …So can I tell him we're on?"

Oh Boy! I can feel it coming -- this adolescence thing.
"Something's comin,' don't know when....maybe tonight, maybe tonight."