A Brief Catastrophe

There are days I feel like such a bad mother. Today was one of those. I was almost dressed and ready to leave for work when Drew walked in. He hesitated a second; he knew I was hurrying to get my day started. When I asked if he needed me, Drew responded, "Well, I was just wondering if I was good, can I get some new underwear? All of mine is too little. And, Mommy, I don't want the tight kind. Get me the loose ones." (Aka boxers, I supposed.)

I looked long and hard at my son. If I'm good, can I have underwear.....I ashamedly looked down at my brand new dress and shoes. I stopped my preparations for the day, running late as I were, and went to his room to check the underwear drawer. I already knew what I would find. I have no idea when I last bought this child underwear! His cousin gave him hand me down boxers and briefs (guess I should be ashamed for that as well) for awhile, but when was our last batch...2007....2008? The worst was indeed confirmed when I found that this ten year old child, my silent and long suffering son, had a drawer full.....of size 6 underwear. No wonder he wants the "loose ones."

I have said often that I have one child who asks for, no expects the world and another who never, ever asks for anything. Most Dee readers will easily know which child is which. But to allay any possible question, the perfectly content child who needs absolutely nothing is the one with underwear four sizes too small and the, some might say, slighly higher than usual voice pitch....surely there couldn't be a connection. I thought about the spring MAP or PASS or whatever testing South Carolina schools are doing these days. Was Drew's less than spectacular performance last semester related to the fact his circulation was being cut off by his ummm.... shall I say 'under armour'? I started thinking of all the times I have told Drew to stop tugging on his pants.....he may have had good reason. I thought back to flag football and how he seemed less interested in playing the game than in adjusting his....well.... in adjusting. I must stop. My guilt has my mind going places it definitely shouldn't.

Tomorrow's first order of business.....TJMaxx to return those shoes I didn't need and exchange for the boy's boxers I hadn't noticed we did. Ah, the sometimes wacky world of working women...and the sons who love us even though we might on occasion forget the basics.