off the hook

The first thing Isaac said to me today was "I have basketball today!"

I believe I replied "That's right, you do!" or something equally cheerful and affirming.

Isaac's our third and youngest child. For some reason, Sam's basketball season started in October, and Isaac has been waiting and waiting for his season to begin. Last Sunday afternoon, at 2 pm, he had his first practice and game. Max, Paul and I all went and cheered him on.

Thank goodness we did. Because we had to draw on that goodwill today.

At a few minutes after three, Paul bounded up the stairs from basement to kitchen, explaining to the kids that he had to talk to Mommy about something. He quietly told me that we had just missed Isaac's 2-3 basketball time, and I gasped in horror. (I'm dramatic like that sometimes. I don't mean to be; it just happens)

"Yeah, I wanted to tell you before he realizes it and says something so you don't scream or something in front of him."

O.K......

I mulled that over as Paul descended the stairs and resumed his ping pong game with Isaac.

My mind began racing; I imagined various unpleasant scenarios that might soon unfold. Then I phoned a friend.

"Hi, Al, I'm having an emergency," I began.

A moment later, Alison was wishing me luck and I was headed for the basement, with some trepidation.

"Isaac, Mommy and Daddy screwed up. We made a mistake, lost track of time, and missed basketball today." Which was the absolute truth. Paul had been having all sorts of fun with the boys downstairs and I was right above them practicing the violin. Time had just slipped away...

"So, Isaac, to make it up to you, you can choose a fun thing to do for the rest of this afternoon, or you can choose what we have for dinner or where we go to eat it."
"Waaaaaauuuuuggghhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" As dramatic as his mother any day, he threw himself on the couch to cry.

I followed Paul into the next room to evaluate how well or badly that had gone in comparison with his expectations.

But before we knew it, I guess, our offer sank in. Isaac appeared in the doorway with a big smile on his face, and announced "I want to go to the J and play ball with you. Both of you!"

Isn't this what every youngest child dreams of, having both parents all to himself?

So, we left Sam and Max at home together, and as we got into the car, I reminded Isaac and Paul that the last time the three of us had been together like this was when both his brothers had been away at summer camp and we drove to Chicago for the weekend. The memory elicited another big smile.

"I'm happy now. Sorry about the tears." he said, blowing my mind.

"Oh, Isaac, never apologize for tears!" I exclaimed. "They're just part of being a person, and YOU are a very wonderful one."

We went to the J and played first basketball and then football with Isaac in the indoor gym. We sang Beatles songs all the way there and munched peanut butter filled pretzels all the way home.

I think we all felt very lucky.