Better! Thanks to Tuba Boy and Coleridge

I am feeling a bit better today, even after a trip to the dentist. I must have just had a case of the "nerves" or something. Tuba Boy was very sweet to me yesterday and said his girlfriend reminded him of me--I guess we both go whacky every so often. I told him how fascinating it was to me when I saw him starting to read books I read at his age, to get interested in topics that interested me, and well, reminding me a lot of myself at his age. He looked at me like I was SO silly, and said, "Well, what do you expect, Mom? You RAISED me, didn't you? Of course I'm like you!" I held my tongue as I thought of all the parents I know who wonder who the heck that kid they raised is, and how the heck they got that way.

Here's just an example. Last week, I think it was Thursday, we decided to all go out to dinner. We went to Chili's and had a most excellent time. Both boys were rather "up," probably from all those Love Hormones rushing through them, and chattered so long and hard during the meal that it's a wonder they ate. Afterward, they asked to go to Barnes and Noble. Well, who can turn down a child who wants a book? So, off we went. I got a knitting magazine, Lee got a Frank Zappa CD, Beccano got a guitar magazine, but Tuba Boy wanted a book of poetry. We'd had a long and deep discussion on poetry on the way to dinner--he was disgusted at a poem he'd read on a test, because all it's references were so superficial and not the fun, deep metaphors he prefers. We'd had quite the discussion on the merits of various poets you read in 12th grade. So, anyway, Tuba Boy had decided he liked Coleridge, and wanted to read more of his work. When we asked the lady at the kiosk where the poetry section was, she got that "OMG, a smart kid" look on her face, and took us WAY over to where they hide that stuff. There was not much of a selection, and only one giant illustrated Rime of the Ancient Mariner filed under "Coleridge." Tuba Boy was not pleased, but I pointed out some anthologies to him. Then I noticed that both of them were $56. Wow, those Norton Anthologies have gotten expensive in the last 30 years. At last, I saw it. A reasonably priced collection of Romantic poems, with a good selection of the stuff he wanted. Everyone left the store very pleased.

I have to tell you this. My very own offspring buying a poetry anthology because, "Mom, I think I really like poetry," makes me feel like the most successful parent in the world. I feel like I need to write High School Boyfriend a note and let him know that even though he never actually fathered a child, he sort of has a son. His legacy lives.

And really, between his love of Facebook Scrabble and this, all that financial aid form stress may well be worth it.