Wednesday, September 13, 2006

And So It Begins

Joseph started school a week ago Monday.



By the time I picked him up last Friday, the verdict was in:

"Mom, fifth grade is awesome! I have the best teacher! We get to eat snacks when we want, and she jokes around a lot-- and the best part is I sit next to a really hot girl."

"A what?!" I ask, while trying to look at the road and my boy in the rearview, all at the same time.

"A hot girl," he says, with a grin so broad I thought his face might bust.

"She has dark brown hair and blue eyes, and I think she likes me because she's always talkin' to me, and I don't think a girl would talk to you unless she liked you."

"Yes, that's true," I tell him, not sure I know how I feel about all of this girl-liking.

I mean, the kid is only ten-- well, eleven in another month.

And sure, there was that girl who asked him to the dance at diabetes camp.

But still...

And then he went on.

"So Mom, I got invited to another girl's birthday party-- A's. It's tomorrow. . . can I go?"

I know this girl. She's a bit taller than Joseph, has flaming red hair, and lives just three blocks away with her dad.

"Sure, but I'll want to talk to her dad to give him the scoop on your diabetes."

"That's okay. But can you believe I got invited? Only two other boys got asked to go. And 'N' -- that's the girl who sits next to me-- she'll be there too," he says, beaming.

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon.

Joseph returns from two hours spent at a girl's birthday party and the first thing he tells me is:

"Mom, I'm going out with A."

"Excuse me?" I choke.

"The other girls at the party wanted me to ask her out, so I did."

"What does this mean, this 'going out'?"

"Well . . . actually . . . I'm not sure," he responds, looking a bit sheepish.

"Do you think A knows?" I ask, fighting hard to keep a straight face.

"Ah . . . maybe."

Then I suddenly remember something.

"Hey- what ever happened to N?"

"Well, it was A's birthday."

"I see."

So that was the end of week one.

After school on Monday, Joseph made yet another announcement:

"Mom, I dumped A."

"You did what?"

"She's never gonna talk to me again. The other girls, too."

"What happened?"

"Well, I told Soren that I really wanted to go out with N, and he told A, and now she's all mad at me."

"Hmmm. I don't like hearing you say that you've "dumped" someone. That's just not a cool thing to say -- or do -- you know, it just sounds mean."

"No, it's not like that Mom. I'm not a jerk. It's just that I asked A out because it was her birthday, and I didn't want to hurt her feelings . . . I don't want to talk about it anymore."

So that was that.

. . . or so I thought.

Yesterday, as we drove home from school, the story took another turn.

"So Mom, I'm goin' out with A again."

"What? Why?"

"Because N won't go out with me."

"Well, she is A's friend-- and it's not cool to go out with someone your friend likes. But honey, do you even like A?"

"Yeah, I've kind of had a crush on her for a while . . . oh Mom, when I told A I'd go out with her again, she was so happy she hugged me-- right in front of everyone. I hope she doesn't keep doing that."

Hmmm . . . I hope she doesn't, too.

"Bud, I just thought of something-- what about that girl from diabetes camp? Do you still like her, too?"

"Mom," he shrugs, "I guess I'm just like Bingo Little."

Heaven help us.

22 comments:

If not a mother... said...

ahhh. to be (almost) eleven again...

art-sweet said...

Just wait til he starts liking the hugging... then you're really in trouble.

Anonymous said...

toooo funny Sandra.

Man. Boys wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole when I was 11. This Amy is doing something right.

Anonymous said...

I love this post!! How funny!

Violet said...

1. My morning oatmeal and I are laughing hysterically. Like sands through the hourglass...

2. I'm with beanie baby.

3. OK, caught my breath. Sandra, what I love in this post is not just the way it captures the vagaries of fifth-grade romance--oh, be still my heart, I've never forgotten David Yates--but also the joy of life it reflects. Here is Joseph, trooping out into the world of grade five, embracing whatever comes his way. (Um, I don't mean Amy. I mean life. But I guess it applies to Amy too...) And here is Sandra, embracing whatever comes her way as her son moves into this new chapter. It's lovely.

Lyrehca said...

So funny. Terrific post... and I learned who Bingo Little is. Please keep us posted on Amy and Natalie. Sounds like things could change any time.

Kassie said...

I can't believe he referenced Bingo Little. That SLAYS me!

Be forewarned: I met my husband at diabetes camp! ;) 'course we were a smidge older than 11.

Kerri. said...

I can't stop grinning like a fool at this post. Joseph is something else ... but I'm with Art-Sweet on this one: You're in trouble once he starts liking the hugging.

And I had never heard of Bingo Little before. I am feeling quite well educated this morning, thanks to you. :)

Tekakwitha said...

It takes a lot to make me smile AND laugh in the morning... Well done!

tek

Sandra Miller said...

Glad you enjoyed this one-- though, as some correctly pointed out, it won't be quite so funny when he starts enjoying the hugging :-)

For those of you just now learning of Richard "Bingo" Little-- Joseph will be thrilled to know that he had a hand in introducing folks to Wodehouse (we're all huge fans over here-- Evan, included).

I'm just so happy he didn't say he was like Gussie Finknottle.

Shannon said...

Ahh my head is spinning! LOL.

If this is how it is when he's 10, I can't imagine his teens....

Minnesota Nice said...

Glad to hear that J is getting a big bunch of "regular kid rites of passage" events in his life despite the db.
He's a cutie

Anonymous said...

Sandra, this is so prime!
And it brings back so many memories:

Grade six, I was over the moon for Derek. Unfortunately, Derek's best friend Ryan was over the moon for me (since grade two...lasting all the way to grade nine) and everybody knows you just don't do that to a friend. So I got shafted that year. Until Stuart came along...

I just about died laughing at the Bingo Little reference! My Grandpa would just love him for that :)

Jamie said...

Like some of the others, I'm feeling very educated this am - I had no clue who Bingo Little was LOL.

Oh did I giggle through this post Sandra. You've got a little Rico Suave on your hands there LOL. My best friend has a son one year older than Joseph. He's been getting phone calls from girls for over a year now. Be prepared ... girls seem to be a bit more agressive these days LOL.

Anonymous said...

How cute! To be that age again... :)

Kelsey said...

So cute Sandra!

I relate to that "going out" phase completely! It's so innocent and harmless, but can seem so earth shattering at the time :)

Good luck!!

Anonymous said...

Grrr... This is try number 3 at posting a comment. I switched to that blogger beta thing - which, apparently, makes it so I can only comment anonymously on blogger beta blogs. Irritating.

Anyway - I think the girls are already seeing all those things that we see in Joseph - you know, the kindness and gentle spirit - with the strength right behind it. And he's Bingo Little-ish, indeed.

When you come to RI, Sandra, I would love to meet you in person. I work in Providence and live just a little outside of it!

Major Bedhead said...

Your son knows who Bingo Little is???! Well, colour me impressed.


Hysterical stuff, Sandra.

Scott K. Johnson said...

Great stuff!!! You go Joseph!

:-)

Penny Ratzlaff said...

Oh, Sandra, so it begins....I hate to tell you, but it gets worse, much worse. Holden has had the same girlfriend for 5 months now and he thinks he is I.N. L.O.V.E. It's really no fun.

What he said about Bingo Little is just too cute. Amy is one lucky girl, if you ask me.

Anonymous said...

Sandra,
Daniel is still not quite ther yet he is more set on becoming a Ninja. My oldest however has her first formal dance, boy included, tonight and man I am more nervous than she is. Hang in there and thanks for the chuckle.
Vivian

(I too signed up for the beta)

Jess Riley said...

LOL!! Oh, that brought back the memories. "Going out." hehehe!