Earlier in the week, Tommy called to tell me he wanted to stay on campus for the weekend. He then asked me to make the 4 hour round trip drive to give him clean laundry. I told him he could go into town and buy himself a pair of jeans and a bag of underwear or he can do his own laundry. His confusion at my response made me question myself all week. Maybe I was expecting too much. Maybe I should drive up there.

Even though he decided to stay on campus for the weekend, I still made my daily phone call to ask Tommy if he is leaving his room for meals. In my mind, he’s hiding in his dorm room, eating cereal three times a day while immersed in computer games. “Sigh. This isn’t a good time for THIS.” What? Did the child who still occasionally asks me to clarify what the tone in my voice or expression on my face means just avoid acknowledging who he was talking to as if I was embarrassing him? I asked him if he was alone. “No.” He’s . . . hanging out with peers? I asked him if I should call back later. “No. I’ll call you.” Did my son just diss me? Why, that is just so, so, so freaking NORMAL! He’s making friends. He would rather be with peers than with his parents. I am so happy that I don’t even care if he passes all his classes. I’ll care when midterms roll around and he realizes that college professors aren’t accepting his disdain for adjectives, straight to the point style of answering questions. Right now, it doesn’t matter. Tommy is happy. That makes me happy.