Nervous Laughter

Tomorrow is a big day. My son Ryno will be going back to school as a seventh grader, and a couple of months later he will be a teenager…a TEENAGER. It is with great and joy, but also great trepidation that I reflect upon this fact. I had many a good time during my teen years, but these years can also be filled with heartbreak, anxiety, and acts of mischief that do not necessarily lend one’s self to getting a pat on the back from Mom, Dad, or one’s Principal.

When I am with Ryno, I am just fascinated. When I look at him it is like looking into a mirror. It annoys him when I do that, and he will often say, “Yes Dad, I know I look like you, but at least I have hair.” To which I typically reply, “Enjoy it now because when you look at my bald head you are looking at your future.” I try to offer encouragement whenever I can.

We indeed look pretty similar, but it is the utterances that emanate from his mouth that not only make me laugh, but strike fear into me as well. His biting sarcasm and wit echo the same brand of humor that got me into more than my share of trouble with teachers and my parents in my teen days. My son has a habit of correcting everybody’s grammar especially his Grandma. While I find it funny because I used to do that, most find it highly annoying. I cant wait to see the fallout when he does it to one of his English teachers.

When I was in 8th grade I got several days detention because I sang a song in the Talent Show that I was not supposed to sing. It was an old Mason Williams’ song called “Doodle Dashers”. I was such a rebel. This past year my son sang a Tom Lehrer song called “Werner Von Braun” at his Talent Show. The administration wasn’t really thrilled about it, although I thought it was gas.

I can only imagine the Principal’s reaction to Ryno’s musical number for this year’s show. My thoughtful little man has his heart on once again dipping into the Tom Lehrer songbook and singing “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park.” Can a son make a father any more proud? No, I say, and I hope he realizes how proud I am of him after he does that song, because the only people that will want to be around him will be a PETA Hit Squad.

I am not really trying make any kind of point with this post (Ed. Note: No Shit!!) other than I find it amazing it is that I can look back and see how I was some thirty years ago through the words and actions of my son. Hell, Ryno says what he thinks much like I did, and he even takes it on me. I took him out for lunch last week and I ordered Iced Tea to drink. For some reason he doesn’t find Iced Tea to be a manly drink, because he called me a “Tea Drinking Ninny”. How Sweet….

So tomorrow, the next leg of his academic and social journey begins. I already know it will start off with a bang as he has told me what the first thing he is going to say to his teachers. Saturday Ryno said to me, “You know what I am going to say to my teachers Tuesday, Dad?” Cringng, I asked, “Oh dear God, what honey?” In a dead on Mel Gibson as William Wallace accent he said, “You can take my summer, but you can’t take my FREEEEDOM.” Ah yes, let the games begin.

Cheers!!