HELLO, AGAIN!

Took #2 Son back to Purchase, in his quest for higher education. Driving up, TLW (The Little Woman) asked him questions about things he remembered as a child, and how he always read books. Moms seem to remember all the stuff that Dad’s forget, mainly because Dad is away all day making a living, while Mom is making a home.

The ride is usually only an hour and change, no more than 75 minutes long, but this time we faced an awful lot of traffic on the Cross Island Parkway, leading to the Whitestone Bridge. But bumper-to-bumper we went head to head against the traffic, until finally we arrived. As we drove toward the college, and I got closer and closer, a funny giddiness took over! Trying not to show it, I smiled to myself, all the while I could see marching bands, flags waving, fireworks and balloons in my mind! Once again we were at all the familiar places from last year, and it felt good to see it once more.

Finding his way around the campus for #2 Son was a slight problem in that he was not a new student, but an upper classman, so things were different for registration, and once we found our bearings, we got busy.

Unloading our car met with immediate trouble. The campus policeman pulls up and says we can’t park there, we have to move, however, when he sees we will not give him a hard time, he let’s us unload and then move the car! We unload with TLW staying with the stuff while I go to park the car somewhere. As I leave, I see a car parked near where we were, and the campus cop writing out a ticket! Returning to TLW, the owner of the car is totally exasperated as he reads his ticket, complaining to me that he had nowhere to park, and maybe they should have given him a break!

I meet up with TLW and #2 Son, and we begin the process of moving in. As I enter what appears to be a pristine place for the last time until next fall, I say to myself: “Gee, I should have brought my camera along to take pictures of the apartment! This way the rescue team will have an idea in the spring of where he may be under all the mess!” I know it would have helped last spring when he collected him.

#2 was happy to be back at the dorms, and anxious to get rid of us. After a trip to the bookstore, we said our goodbyes and TLW and me headed home. We were now a couple again! The ride was somewhat exhilarating and serene all at the same time! No more late day arising from bed, no more lights and TV on all night, no more dishes and pots left in the sink, and we would begin immediate excavating of his room, to once more find the floor!

And so another school year begins, and we will miss him of course. The political arguments will have to be put on hold, and the special meals we make for his vegetarian diet will cease. But he is comfortable with having us leave him, and that makes me feel good. If he wasn’t, we would all feel badly.