Road trips

We've been homebound this summer, for a variety of reasons. The plans are to get away next week for a quiet stay at the water, soaking up sun, reading, walking, and allowing the ocean to heal us down to our souls.

Mystery Man had the biggest adjustment of all this year. He began a working  internship in January that involved him moving to Connecticut and living alone in an apartment and working a 40 hour week for 8 months. He finished it up two weeks ago, moved all his stuff to his off campus house at school, and came home for the 3 weeks till school started.

The plans were to take off with friends and go on road trips - the destination changed every time he told me - but as I wrote a few posts ago, he had the dreaded glands the size of golf balls. So he was sick 2 weeks before he came home and 2 weeks after until he suddenly felt much better about 5 days ago.

It was nice to have him home while we both recuperated. If I needed him, he had me call him on his cell because, even though he was about 10 feet away in his room, he had on his a/c, fan, and the dead couldn't wake this child, but the cell phone, he'd answer whatever his state.

As he began to feel better, the plans were on for the big Road Trip with two of his friends. Where are you going? South. Uh, that's a big place. North Carolina. Where? Outer Banks. Have a place to stay? No, that's the whole point. Have a tent? Do we have a tent? Not anymore. Then no. Reservations? Ma, it's a road trip!

He refused to bring his 2 friends over so I could lecture them about state troopers in the south, speed traps, drinking and driving, when his father got mugged on a similar vacation, and speeding tickets that land you in jail.

I don't know why. He promised to give the 2-second version to his friends.

So Jack Kerouac and his two friends took off last night - don't we all start major road trips at night when we're tired??  He promised to stay in touch. First call came in at 10:30 last night, waking up Mr. Pom and I and clutching at our hearts in fear: accident, speeding ticket, lost, mugged......

"Dad, where can you get a Philly cheesesteak in Philly?"

For some reason, Dad had no idea.

We decided to let it go. Be the cool, no worry parents, and definitely not the "Are you out of your mind you're not going anywhere" parents that we both had. We went back to sleep. 

And then the phone rang this morning. Mom, the doctor called me with the results of the mono test. (Why is it when they turn 21 that the doctor feels it is appropriate to call the child instead of the parent??? Damn HIPAA!)

It's positive.

So....he's feeling much better, but he can't have any alcohol, shouldn't be using ibuprofen (I think he took a bottle over the last month), and has to  listen to his body when it gets tired. With 2 friends. On the open road. 21. Last summer fling.

I, however, am going downstairs to mix some tequila in with my yogurt.  If you need me, I'll be passed out, but you can  call me on my cell.