Dylan had a Christmas band concert Wednesday evening. Our typical routine for band concerts is for one parent to take Dylan to the school at the report time (usually 30 minutes before start) and reserve seats for the rest of the family, who then show up with parent number two just moments before concert start. This is mostly for the sake of Ben, since his best behaviour would be used up during the half hour wait, if we all were to arrive together.
On Wednesday evening, I was parent number two. Unbeknownst to me, the evening included junior high and high school band and choir participating in the concert in the auditorium, while a simultaneous junior high basketball game was in progress in the gym. Ergo, the parking lot was filled upon my arrival. I had to park at the elementary school and hike across campus to the junior high building. I didn't factor that into my arrival time.
In order to make up the hike time, I decided to carry the often-distracted Benny most of the way. Although Benny seems younger than five years old, he is, in fact, five years old. A little big to be carried, but he doesn't necessarily realize that.
I was hoofing pretty briskly across the elementary parking lot with 42 pounds of Benny facing me and clinging to my neck, with Lily trying to keep up. We passed another family of three moving a little slower. As we moved slightly ahead of them, Benny, who knows no strangers, leaned around me, evidently enjoying being carried by his Daddy, and broke the parking lot silence with a bold conversation attempt with the family of three by announcing, "Daddy takin' care a me!". They offered no response back to Ben and we continued hoofing for the Jr. High building. Ben, as though I was not a part of the original conversation attempt, moved back to face me and said, in a more private voice, "Daddy, I said, 'Daddy takin' care a me!'"
On Wednesday evening, I was parent number two. Unbeknownst to me, the evening included junior high and high school band and choir participating in the concert in the auditorium, while a simultaneous junior high basketball game was in progress in the gym. Ergo, the parking lot was filled upon my arrival. I had to park at the elementary school and hike across campus to the junior high building. I didn't factor that into my arrival time.
In order to make up the hike time, I decided to carry the often-distracted Benny most of the way. Although Benny seems younger than five years old, he is, in fact, five years old. A little big to be carried, but he doesn't necessarily realize that.
I was hoofing pretty briskly across the elementary parking lot with 42 pounds of Benny facing me and clinging to my neck, with Lily trying to keep up. We passed another family of three moving a little slower. As we moved slightly ahead of them, Benny, who knows no strangers, leaned around me, evidently enjoying being carried by his Daddy, and broke the parking lot silence with a bold conversation attempt with the family of three by announcing, "Daddy takin' care a me!". They offered no response back to Ben and we continued hoofing for the Jr. High building. Ben, as though I was not a part of the original conversation attempt, moved back to face me and said, in a more private voice, "Daddy, I said, 'Daddy takin' care a me!'"
Smiling, falling in love with the kid all over again... "Yes, Ben, Daddy is taking care of you!"
1 comment:
LOVE this story! I would have said something back... something like "Lucky boy! I wish my daddy was taking a care of me!"
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