Or Beverages Either

I drive Spencer to school every morning. Michael takes the bus, so he is not with us. On Monday, Spencer asked brightly, “What are you going to tell me about today?” Our conversations on the way to school have ranged from the presidential election, to the state of the economy, to the sale of the company where I work, to the plotline of the book I am currently reading, to name a few. But, now, under pressure, I crumbled. “Well,” I said lamely, “I’m going to lunch with Nichole today. I’m not sure yet where.” Inadequate. Pathetic. I knew this. But Spencer admonished me anyway, “Please (exasperated sigh) no stories about meals.”

Vindication

I took the boys to dinner Saturday night. Typically when we go to dinner Michael brings along a book to read in the car, while we sit at the table waiting for the food, after he’s done eating, in the car on the drive home (if he remembers his book light). However, on Saturday he forgot his book. We were just a short distance from the house when he moaned, “I forgot my book. I can’t believe I did that. What am I going to do now? This is going to be so boring.” My feelings were not hurt at all. I remember feeling bored at restaurants when I was young. Though, on the other hand, I am funny and a great story teller, which (now that I think about it), Michael would know if he was not always reading a book. So I countered to Michael, “It won’t be boring. We can talk.” Another moan. He was not convinced. He grabbed a copy of The Onion and began reading it as soon as we sat down. But that did not hold his interest for very long. So then we all talked. Well, mostly I talked. The boys really enjoy hearing stories about when they were young and also stories about when I was young. We had a very nice time. The next morning on the way to visit my grandmother, Spencer said “I wish Michael had forgotten his book again. It was nice to talk.”

Don't Stop Now

Before the boys go to bed each night, I read to them. We have read many books over the years. Too many for me to recall, but here is a partial list.
Magic Tree House series
ABC Mystery series
Because of Winn Dixie
Tiger Rising
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Narnia series
Wrinkle in Time series
Tuck Everlasting
Shiloh
The Black Pearl
Island of the Blue Dolphins
More books by Roald Dahl than I am able to recall
Last week we were nearing the end of a book titled “The Magnificent Benedict Society.” Unfortunately, I was forced (by the dictates of bedtime) to stop reading at a particularly exciting point in the story. Spencer looked at me, disbelieving that I was actually done reading for the night, and exclaimed “Dude, that’s a cliffhanger.”