The Boy Teacher and the Father Student #48; A Birth Date? Just a Warm Up!

Not so sure about what happened. A month premature. Scarier that hell. The boy’s mom is super “pp”. They call her a petite petite in clothing. Boy oh’ boy that translates into a lot more money and she does sales so the clothes have to be tomorrow’s fashion. So foreign to me. I have some 40 year old shoes that I just love. Rubbing with leather oil, stitching a portion here and there and I am in heaven.

So we get to age. When a child is born as a premature the lungs take it the hardest. It takes about 3 years more to get them right for the age.

The boy’s mom was in the 10^th hour of labor and mom and the boy were reaching some negative vitals. Our doc. and I stepped out into the hallway. “Eric we can push it maybe two hours more to hope for a vaginal delivery.” “Hey doc. this is not my first rodeo. Lets do the section but I hold her hand the whole way to surgery”. “Alright then you better scrub up”. Beep Beep Beep Beep and we have some cardiac distress. Move it people!!! “About 3 minutes to get him out and mom is in bad shape”.

I kissed the nearly unconscious mother on the forehead. As the surgical OBG/GYN nurse directed me to cut the umbilical chord and take him to the scale. The call/shouts will for ever stay in the front of my brain. BP ONE NINETY OVER ONE TEN PREPARE FOR CRASH!! “Mr. Dierker you have to leave now”. And across the hall I prayed like never before or after. Two hours of no news.

Well the rest is history. Nine years old today as healthy as can be. Mom is more beautiful today than any yesterday.

We Made It

B: Dad you are kind of crazy.

F: Don’t we all have to be kind of crazy or be dull?

B: Ya but you are a little more crazy.

F: You know I cannot argue with that. Why do you say it?

B: Couldn’t you just be a normal dad?

F: Nope.

B: But people think you are weird.

F: Did you know percentages make us strange. I am a bit over 6 ft tall. That makes me different than most people. Out of the 28 kids in your class what number are you with grades?

B: Sometimes first and sometimes around fifth.

F: You do understand that that makes you weird?

B: Yea but we do not talk that way. We don't call good "weird" and you are just plain old weird.

We have discussed it many times. When we play catch we do not do so well with about our first 10 throws and catches. As much as we try it takes some time to get it down right. Go very early to a pro or college “match” or “game”. They take to the “field of play” to warm up. A good 20 minutes. Most of the players more time than they ever play in the competition.

When I was a pro downhill snow ski competitor I would spend over and hour warming up before a 2 minute competition. You could have a first place winner be only 2 seconds faster than a fourth place finisher. In Football they practice for days before a game.

So what does the boy say about math and language practice from 7 am to 7:30 am every morning?

B: Why do I have to get up so early every school day?

F: Because your mom says so.

B: That is wicked unfair.

F: Buddy I am strict about you getting no less than 9 hours a day sleep. It is just hard waking up sometimes.

B: I go to school a lot everyday. Why do I have to do lessons in the morning?

F: Why do we make you eat a good breakfast everyday?

B: You don’t eat breakfast.

F: I only eat within 6 hours a day. Some deal that is good for me.

B: I want that deal.

My boy and I actually sleep about ten feet from each other. Sure a closet and wall between us, but still only about ten steps from my bed to his through the hall. I have practiced racing in to “rescue” him. He turned 9 at midnight. Actually that is funny because he was born at 12:02. He had his first talking in his sleep episode last night. Locking doors and night and sleeping with one eye open is a dad’s job. I raced to find him asleep.

One day, two day and times 4 million is a father’s gig. During our morning hugs he related his dream. He had been scared. I reckon I should have woken him up rather than going to sleep against his bedroom wall. I will do better next time. I will grow.

B: Dad you act grumpy sometimes.

F: That is because I am mad at you.

B: What do I do wrong?

F: Probably nothing.

B: So why are you mad at me?

F: I have no idea.

B: So I should just ignore you.

F: Kind of I think, but let me think on it more. But if you ignore me when I am mad what will you do when I am all happy about you? Somebody get me an aspirin.

B: That makes me laugh because you do not take aspirin. You are so stupid. Hihihi.

F: Boy you know I am the toughest guy you know.

B: I used to believe you but now I don’t know.

F: Lets go outside and you try to catch my fastball.

B: That doesn’t prove anything!

F: You need to focus and not be so scatter brained.

B: You mean I should not be like you. That is funny.

F: Alright let’s go throw darts where I know I can beat you.

B: Dad I won the last match.

So we all compete. It would seem that a boy of 9 warms up until about 10. Do we warm up with him as a teammate or are we a sideline coach or helicopter dad? If you have answers then you should write a book. I was “cross-examining” a physician once and he said that “the body of a man is like an experiment”. 40 years later I think I finally get it. Being perfect is a pipe dream. Being loving is a sure thing. I have run a river or two like the Colorado in the Grand Canyon. You learn ebb and flow fast. And “back eddies”. Is raising a child different I wonder.

B: Dad, come check out this caterpillar.

F: No son I am just too busy. I laugh when I say that as I am running to see it.

B: check out that color dude. Is it a butterfly?

F: Get a blade of grass. I will go get my special glasses and magnifying glass. Too cool!

B: Dad it is super cool. I cleaned my hand in the wet grass and I want to touch it.

F: Go for it – it will recoil and take off. You will see what I mean.

Smile and then pucker up for a kiss!