You're My Hostage Now

My son is 11 years old.  We like to hang out.  Probably  more than his friends think is cool, but if he doesn't care, we'll just keep on keep'n on.  I find when I'm with him, I want to look at things through is his eyes, which isn't so tough, really.  I like to point out things I think he might like or think is funny.   The same things amuse me too, so it's like 4 eyes looking for a good joke, constantly.  He can easily be talked into running errands with me using the simple phrase "Come keep me company."  That's something I learned from my wonderful father and my obnoxious but charming twin brother... "It'll only take a few minutes".   That's code for "You're my hostage now".  Mwahahahaha!  Off we go.


I tend to take the scenic route when going to ... well... just about anywhere. Why? Because there's usually something interesting along the way.  On a recent errand back from renting movies, we drove past a slowly dying shopping center.  One of the ever changing restaurants was wisely holding a classic car get together.  Bring your classic car, pop the hood and we'll all walk around and admire them.  Sounds boring?  On the contrary, look at the beauties we found:

I told my son to casually lean on the car, as if it's his... but don't really touch it.    Mission accomplished.

This old one looks a bit like a spiffied up one my twin brother had when we were in high school. It was an antique then too.

hmmmm... I want to like it. Just not sure yet. I like the bones.

It should be luxurious but reminded Jackson and I of a hearst.  #FAIL

I want it.  Don't you? Yeah... I want it.

I had a dear friend in college that would see something unusual and not hesitate to pull over and check it out.  While vacationing with him in California, we saw a worm poop business and how it makes compost.  He turned into the long driveway as if that was the plan all along.  Pull up around the back of the barn, hopped out of the car and introduced himself, hand outstretched to the first person he saw... the owner.  We got the whole shebang on the worms and how they make the best damn compost and we even played with his puppies... for 2 hours.  We all hugged and said goodbye when it was time to go, like we were long lost friends bidding farewell yet again.  That's how he was/is... making friends all over this planet mainly because he was like a little kid...  always curious, respectful, interested and itching to find out something about everything.  He didn't drive past this place every day for 5 years wondering what worm poop was all about. He saw it, he went in to investigate and I was his happy hostage. He's an NFL football coach now... using his positive outlook and curiosity to make himself some of the finest quarterbacks in the league.  Many times over the last several years, I think of him when I see something that piques my curiosity.  I make a concerted effort to actually stop, investigate, engage with whomever is behind it all... and hopefully,  I will always have a happy hostage to enjoy it with me.