The Perfect Storm

There are exactly five more days of Boy Twin’s strength and conditioning camp. I couldn’t be happier. I’m not sure if it was a positive experience for either one of us.

Boy Twin looks exactly the same. His biceps aren’t any bigger than they were when he started the camp. He might be able to run farther and faster than he could pre-camp, but I can’t see him using any of the new speed. Just ask him to take out the trash and you will see how slow he can move. He will run to get a root beer chiller. If he thinks his sister could possibly get the biggest root beer chiller, he can run really fast.

Well, I should get to the story. Last December Elaine and I decided the Twins should have cell phones to help us with their busy middle school lives. Boy Twin’s cell phone will become a very important part of this story later.

Boy Twin’s strength and conditioning camp starts at 7:00 Am and he is to be picked up at 9:00 AM. I drop him off at camp and I go work in my construction life returning emails and phone calls. I usually look at the clock when it is about 8;55 and realize I am going to be late picking up Boy Twin.

Picking up Boy Twin at camp would be exactly why Elaine and I thought it would be good to get the twins phones. Did I mention the twin have smart phones? It is unusual for Boy Twin to use his smart phone. Mostly he uses the smart phone for video games accessing the internet, or looking at photos, Using it to call or text would be foreign to him. He might answer the phone if someone should call him, but you can’t be sure. He knows his sister will answer the phone and he won’t need to stop playing his games.

This past week, Boy Twin and I experienced the “Perfect Storm”, I got busy at work and forgot to pick him up from camp. I received a phone call at 10:00 that slapped me back to reality. Oh no, the call was not Boy Twin on the phone, it was Girl Twin.

Girl Twin: Monner, did you and Boy Twin get breakfast? Me: What?!! I have to go!

The “Perfect Storm”? Now Girl Twin knows I forgot to pick up Boy Twin and she is going to tell everyone. I jumped in the truck and started towards the camp. I didn’t get a block down the road and my phone rang, it was Elaine. ”You forgot Boy Twin?” It wasn’t really a question. It was more of a statement. I really wasn’t in the mood for that question and/or statement so I hung up. I didn’t have time for that.

I was thinking it is a good thing he has a smart phone. I called his number. Oh good its ringing. I can hear it ringing through my phone and I can hear it ringing on the seat next to me. He left his phone in the truck. Obviously he must have thought he wasn’t going to have time to play video games at camp.

I am over an hour late and I have no way of contacting him. Did he start walking? Did he stay at camp? If he did walk, where did he walk to? Which way did he go?

At 10:30 I received a call from a number I didn’t recognize. It was Boy Twin.

Boy Twin: Are You coming to pick me up? Me: Of course I am, where are you? Boy Twin: I’m back at camp. Me: What do you mean back at camp? Who’s phone are you on? Boy Twin: I started to walk to meet you. Then I walked back to camp and borrowed this girl’s phone. Me: Why didn’t you call earlier? How far did you walk? Boy Twin: None of the kids had phones, I walked to City Park and then I turned around. Me: I’m confused, you said you were on a girl’s phone. Boy Twin: Yes, I borrowed a phone, but she is not a kid, she is as old as you.

I picked him up at camp. Boy Twin was wet from walking in the rain. He started talking about his “adventure”.

Boy Twin: I got lost walking back to camp. Me: How could you get lost walking back to camp? Boy Twin: I was looking at a worm floating down the gutter and walked past where I was supposed to turn. I started seeing houses I had never seen before. Me: Maybe next time you might want to take your phone.

I’m worrying he is going to be lost and I might never see him again; he’s walking down the road looking at a worm; which is exactly why I worry about him.

Next year Girl Twin is going to camp with him.

Our crazy lives!

Monner