Twenty-Five

It was early, a very early Monday morning. In fact, morning had yet to break when the pains began. I was alone, the hub-ex had gone to work. I tried to ignore the pain deciding they couldn’t be that pain, it was too early. Too early in the day, too soon by a couple of weeks. The pains became more insistent and harder to ignore, the thought circling around and around as they did, I did not want to go to the hospital in the dark.

I willed the pains to slow and miraculously they did. The day broke, I called the ambulance and 3 hours later my baby boy was heralded into the world, twenty-five years ago, today.

We’ve shared much over these twenty-five years. He conspired with me to get his dad to quit smoking. Well, more like he was conscripted, as he was only 7 months old. He performed his duties admirably, however they came about. His coughing on cue would surely be worthy of a Tony.

From his early childhood obsessions with the World Wrestling Federation’s Hulk Hogan and Randy "Macho Man" Savage and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to his introduction to poetry and spoken word, which ultimately led to drama and acting, we’ve shared much. Not just the times, the actions and the events, but also the stories.

What I cherish most these twenty-five, especially the last five, are the conversations. He has talked, eventually, about everything. I’m pretty sure it was the muscle relaxant he was taking for an aching back that had him discussing the merits of boxers over briefs and why it was urgent for me to know those merits, just then. Whatever made him share, I welcome the information.

The infant boy who once laid on my chest as we slept through watched football, the toddler who made sure I was aware (in a very loud voice) whenever his sister was crying, the little boy who constructed elaborate scenarios for his action figures, the adolescent who struggled until finding his voice, his strength, his calling through poetry, this gentleman, my son, is twenty-five today.

He’s going out tonight. He will enjoy a very nice dinner, go to the symphony and then....samba.

Tomorrow he will tell me the stories.

Happy Birthday Son.

***photo from 2006 graduation. He won't stand still long enough for me to get a more current shot. If I manage one, I'll post it.