AJ

Hey it’s me, Savannah.  Now I’m a big bad ADULT.  You know, one of those boogeymen you’re afraid you’ll never become when you’re a child… sure I have a few more wrinkles and my hair is a little bit shorter….but I’m the same old me, I suppose.  I’m not going anywhere any time soon.

If I have my way my kids are going to go to boarding school and there won’t be anything Andy does to stop me.  I have to do something before they send ME to the hen house.

Except for Sage.  She can stay put.  So far we’ve had zero trouble out of her, she hasn’t even WANTED to set pranks and stuff like her brothers.  Although she now says she wants a slumber party for her teen birthday with some of her classmates from ballet.  She doesn’t know yet why she has ‘Margaret’ as her middle name.  I’ll tell her when she’s older.

AJ, as Andy and I feared, is following right in the footsteps of his older brother Sety.  Both he and Sety woke up in their mood swing the next day. 

“How are you liking school?” he asked, attempting to make conversation.

The only thing on Sage’s mind was the autumn salad on her plate.  It’s her favorite food.  I suspect she’ll be a vegetarian too.  “Pretty good,” she answered. 

“Did you take out the trash?” she countered with.  “You know mom said –“

AJ didn’t say anything.  He went into the shower by the kitchen and disappeared outside. 

We got him a 10 speed bike for his teen birthday, till he learns how to drive.  Andy wanted to get a car but I said no, not yet.  We still haven’t finished teaching the older two how to drive. 

Next thing I knew, the police were in front of the door.  With AJ.  I wanted to know what happened, and the officer told me that he’d thrown eggs at this one kid’s house. 

One thing I have ZERO tolerance for is bullying.  ZERO.  I was bullied as a girl and I know how it feels.  It may not seem like it but I still bear scars today.  It disappoints me greatly that a child of mine is engaging in this behavior. 

So I was waiting for him when he got in.  “I cannot believe you, AJ.”

“Believe what?”

“I cannot believe what you did.”

“I didn’t do anything, I swear.”

“Then why were you brought home by the police?”

“I swear, I didn’t do anything.”

I took a deep breath.  I’d risen my hand to slap him across the face before I restrained myself.  “You are so lucky the deputy is standing here, because I’d have whipped you into the middle of next week.”

“You can’t tell me what to do, I’m a grown man.”

“You are not a grown man, and as long as you are under MY roof you are going to abide by MY rules.  You are GROUNDED.  Go to your room.  I shall definitely tell your father what has transpired today.”

Have to admit, seeing the police in front of our door brought back memories of another child gone wild.

Me.