Hi Everyone,
On Friday night, Will came back from college for his spring break. Instead of making mom leave the warmth of the couch where she was curled up with Maggie, I offered to pick him up.
Now I’m pretty sure those who’ve been reading my blog have figured out there’s probably a story to this.
See, I’ve never driven on the Saw Mill River, Taconic State Parkway or the Bronx River, the route I had to take to get him. Even though I’ve had my license for almost 4 months, I really never had a reason to take any highways since I’m usually driving to places around town.
Even after mom’s countless warnings, I embarked on this journey expecting it to be a piece of cake. It was not. It was a joyride through hell.
First, if you have driven on any of these roads, you know how narrow they are and how fast cars go. I’ve only been a neglectful passenger when mom was driving so I had no idea what was happening. Second, I had no clue where I was going. I really thought I could get to the bus station with no directions.
Boy, was I wrong.
Even with the directions in my phone, I STILL managed to miss a few turns and it ended up taking longer to get to the bus stop. This was a complete blow to my ego because I consider myself good at getting around. To have failed this miserably was pretty disheartening.
Also, a bit of a side note, I used to find it hilarious how adults (mom) would turn down the music volume in intense driving moments. I can now (not very) proudly say I have become a victim to this. During my many missed turns, I had to completely shut off the music to focus on where I was going. And it was subconscious, too!
After the hard journey to the bus stop, though, I eventually picked up Will and the ride back was a lot smoother. So, lesson learned: listen to your mom.
Ok, so you may be wondering, if you didn't know what you were doing, why would you offer to pick up Will? And I lied, it wasn't just so that my mom could remain comfy at home; it was because I like to pick people up when they need it.
After dad died and mom started commuting to the city for work, I decided I could help make her day, or at least try to (it really depended on how much she wanted to see me) because she needed something to cheer her up. Having to support 3 kids by herself was draining. And she was sad. Even I could see that. But what could I offer her?
One day, I texted mom, “hey, can I pick you up from the train station?”, and she responded, “yes, of course”. Now I’m not too sure what she was expecting with her 10-year-old son picking her up, but I’m pretty sure she appreciated the gesture.
About 15 minutes before her train arrived at the station, I walked to town and sat at the cafe right next to it. When she came down the stairs and saw me waiting for her, a smile instantly lit up her face. I remember her smiling all the way home.
I think from then on, I knew this had to be a consistent thing. So mom and I developed a schedule so I could pick her up. Every single time, the same smile appeared and I could hear in her voice how much she loved it. That was all I needed and so I never failed to pick her up. Sometimes I would surprise her with her favorite candy bar, Snickers (Snickers climb mountains!). Other times I brought Maggie with me so we could all walk home together.
It became this small family thing which made us all appreciate each other a little more. It definitely grew us closer and I loved our little 10-minute walk every day.
So on Friday night, I offered to pick Will up because I wanted to experience this feeling again with my older brother. And I did.
Until next Sunday!
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