"The Experiment" Part IV

 

The sounds of a siren and multi flashing red and blue police lights filled the car as Lori and Bill headed to their missions first destination.

"WHAT DO WE DO BILL!” Lori blurted out in a frantic voice.

“Don’t worry my sweets, just let me do all the talking, these guys know me.” Bill replied in his best secret squirrel tone.

“You want?”

“What I mean is that I know how to talk to these guys.”

The siren continued to blare behind them, clearly the only thing that this law enforcement officer had in mind was to run interference in Bills plan. He was sure of that as he continued driving forward towards the mall.

“Dammit Bill – PULL OVER! I don’t want this to end up in a low speed police chase.”

“You don’t think I have what it takes to out run the law?”

Lori looked at him and tried to find the words, but nothing would come out.

“Don’t look at me in that tone of voice. I know what I’m doing.”

“Really?” was all she could say.

A thousand things began to rush through Bills mind as he started babbling out loud – “Was it an unpaid parking ticket? I was only parked in a no parking zone for ten minutes, my cell phone rang and I didn’t want to talk and drive. I didn’t even leave my car. Maybe it was girl I was flirting with at the circle K; she probably filed harassment charges for asking too many questions about the dangers of drinking chocolate milk while eating pork rinds? Could it have been that I didn’t mow the lawn on the day our home owners association suggested? No, no it know what it is…I forgot to send my mother a birthday card and now she is seeking revenge? I know you shouldn’t have used all the stamps Lori! Maybe it was….”

“You…driving the blue Nissan. Please pull your car to the side of the road,” said a stern and official voice over the loud speaker of the police car.

“BILL! SNAP OUT OF IT AND PULL THE HELL OVER! HE’S TRYING TO GET AROUND YOU!”

“What?” He replied dazed and completely confused while slowly pulling his car to the side of the road.

Nancy and Carmen stood in the door way of their house watching all the excitement.

“Dang, they haven’t been gone more than two minutes and dad hasn’t even gotten the end of the road and already he’s brought attention onto himself.” Nancy commented as she shook her head in disbelief while the other neighbors stood out on their lawns trying to understand what was going on. "I’m so embarrassed."

“He should have let mom drive, she’d have been at the mall by now.” Carmen commented.

“That’s probably why he didn’t let her drive he knows mom wants to be the next Danica Patrick.”

They both laughed and then closed the door to wait impatiently for the outcome that they knew would result in numerous Facebook postings and twitter comments from their friends, about their parent’s antics, later in the evening.

***

Bill and Lori reached the mall parking lot about 8:35pm. Their first indication that it was a typical Friday night were the miles of multiple colored metal finishes, which could mean only one thing – finding a parking spot was going to take patience, perseverance and cut throat quickness. Bills excitement was growing into frustration as one attempt after another would find them just missing a spot here or a spot there.

“SON OF A BITCH!” Bill screamed out slamming his fists against the steering wheel.

“Bill! Watch the language!”

“Oh don’t read me the riot act on cussing there little lady, the girl’s tell me you have a mouth like a sailor when you’re behind the wheel.”

“Who me? They don’t know what they’re talking about,” she replied as she turned away and peered out the window to conceal the sinful grin she was wearing.

“There’s one!” He exclaimed and stomped his foot down on the gas pedal that created an intense roar from the engine accompanied by the sounds of squelching rubber on the new pavement while unexpectedly flinging Lori deep into her seat do to the negative G’s that bill had inflicted onto their Nissan.

“BILL, SLOW THE HELL DOWN!” Lori cried out.

Just as he was about to finally get parked, a vehicle from the other side had driven through to the space Bill was intent on getting.

“WHAT THE HELL! DAMMIT!”

Lori laughed at Bills expense, “Welcome to my world, this is what it is like anytime on any day when coming to the mall.”

“SOMEBODY KNEW I WAS COMING HERE TONIGHT!”

“Oh yeah, right, someone has been out there in the world planning their next move to steal Bill Keebler’s parking spot when he goes to the mall. Better yet, maybe the girls put the word out about what their mom and dad were up to. Come on Bill, be real. How about we go to a restaurant or something and save the mall for another time.

“No…we can’t alter the plan or the numbers won’t come out right.”

“The Numbers? Bill do you realize how many people in your experiment age group, are in the world? Do you really think that twenty people will give you the honest facts you are looking for?”

“It doesn’t matter how many.” He paused with a disappointed look upon his face. “I need to understand so that I can make my point.”

“About what?”

“Never mind, you’ll understand soon enough.”

As Bill and Lori continued talking, while temporarily blocking the flow of traffic as their car sat idled, bill noticed that the vehicle that had taken their place was pulling out and was only there momentarily to answer a cell phone call.

“Hold Crap a space!” Bill Cheered.

“Sorry man, it’s against the law to drive and talk on the phone,” shouted the driver with a friendly voice and a smile. “She’s all yours, but have to warn you, it’s crazy in the mall as well.”

“Thanks man,” Bill replied and gunned the car once again thrusting Lori into a motionless position into her seat. “WE GOT ONE LORI! HA HA!” he cried out in a great mad scientist voice.

“Thank goodness. My body can’t take much more of this.” She replied as she peeled herself out of the cushions of her seat to exit the car. "You didn't tell me I would have to endure on the job hazards especially a whiplash injury."

"Sorry sweetness" he replied as he removed his sunglasses and trench coat and threw them both into the back seat of the car before locking it.

"I thought you said you didn't have anything on under your coat?"

“I was just having fun with you, you're so gullible Lori. Now hold my hand and let’s go check on the food court."

As the night went on Bill had stopped at all of the food counters that appeared to be run by men and women in their late teens and early twenties. One by one Billed check off the columns and made notes by each person’s name that he was able to retrieve from each employees name tag.  Not to look suspicious or appear to be some type of creepy stalker, he would purchase some type of item that either he or Lori could drink or snack on without filling up. When Bill had returned to their table location that they had gotten that was strategically centered between all the food counters, Lori just sat there shaking her head.

"What's wrong hon?"

"Bill, I know you mean well, but if we keep snacking like this, we're going to gain 50lbs a piece and go broke before this experiment is over. Can't we go home now?"

"It's for a good cause and sometimes a father has to take matters into his hands to make a point?"

"Well I am taking matters into my own hand sand I have a point to make, I feel like I'm a pending spokesperson for Jenny Craig. I can see myself now, taking my before pictures while trying to explain how I put the weight on and how I'll get it off."

"Never mind, you’ll..." Bill began to reply when suddenly the sounds of voices screaming echoed throughout the food court. The situation was very heated and intense that began to unfold between a customer and an employee that appeared it would stop Bills mission in the blink of an eye if someone didn't respond with quickness.

"NO! Not now! I almost have all my information I need for my experiment." Bill commented under his breath.

_________________

 

Join me tomorrow for the final saga of "The Experiment" and find out what happens when a father will go to any lengths to make a life lesson point to his oldest daughter. Will she understand? Will Bill get his answers? Will Lori get a job with Jenny Craig? Find out tomorrow.  Until then - Blog ya later.

 

 

 

"The Experiment" Part III

Friday had finally made its grand entrance into the Keebler home. Everyone conducted their early morning routines as usually, but with just a little less conversation at the breakfast table.  The girls were still very upset with their dad and the possible antics that he had planned for later that evening. They hoped that maybe his work day would render him too exhausted for games and trickery, which is what they felt this whole experiment of his was – games and trickery. But to Bill, no matter how the girls were feeling about his plan, this was something that until he ventured out and gathered this information, he would not be at peace with himself.  

The day turned out to be as smooth as a freshly paved road and five o’clock came with quickness for the Keebler family. Bill was the first one home and immediately retreated to the bedroom to begin the preparations for his undercover secret squirrel assignment that would be set in motion at 8:00pm that very night.

Lori and the girls arrived at home about an hour after Bill and were greeted at the door by the sounds of Bill belting out a tune, which he believed to be his best vocal accompaniment, to the music of Def Leopard. They all stood in the doorway both daze and confused and honestly were not surprised to see that the kitchen showed no signs of anything being started for dinner and their dog buttons sat ever so quietly with his plastic dog dish in his mouth.  It was then and only then did they all realize that Bill was indeed serious about his experiment and nothing was going to get in his way.

A look of panic came over Carmen’s face as she dropped her purse and began to run through the house like a crazed manic.

“Carmen! Slow Down! What is wrong with you?” said Nancy, with a chuckle to her voice. She looked at herself as the calm one in all the madness in the world.

“Don’t just stand there Nancy…Check every window in the house as quick as you can?” Carmen ordered as she moved around like the Tasmanian devil on a loony tunes cartoon.

Lori and Nancy just stood there in disbelief that on one floor was a daughter spacing out with no valid explanation, while the man of the house made it sound like he was hosting his very own rock concert in his steam shower time machine upstairs.  

“The only thing missing is the sound of a crowd cheering” said Lori out loud to herself when suddenly the sounds of thousands of people screaming and cheering filled the house as Bill was doing shout outs to thank the crowd for coming. “I should have known he was listening to the live concert version.”

“Mom…Don’t just stand there! Help me make sure all the windows are closed…our neighbors can hear dad singing!” Carmen screamed.

“Good Luck mom…I told you…you going to need it tonight.” Nancy smiled.

“I think you right little lady, come on let’s get this hungry dog fed and some dinner on the table.”

“Should we tell dad we are home?”

With a huge grin, Lori replied, “Nope, but you could be a good girl and stand outside in the hallway and record his performances on your cell phone so that we have a great laugh when family flies in for the holidays.”

“YOU GOT IT!” exclaimed Nancy as she ran past Carmen who still believed that there had to be a window open somewhere and that she’d be the joke of the community for weeks on end if she couldn’t contain the excessive noise her dad was making.

It was the smell of perfectly seasoned hamburgers and onions grilling on the stove that was the alarm that triggered Bills brain with the realization that his family was home.

“Oh Crap.” He thought as he turned the shower off. “How long have they been home?”

“Bill, Girls, dinner is ready!” said Lori as her voice carried through their home.

“Long enough,” he said to himself as he wiped the condensation off the mirror to check out day two of his new hair color.

***

Lori and the girls were already at the table eating when Bill finally made his appearance to join them for dinner.

“Hey dad, how was your day?” Said Nancy followed by a devilish smirk.

“It was good.”

“Heard any great bands lately?” Carmen asked rather sarcastically.

“Ok, so I was enjoying some time to myself, is it a crime to still like 80’s hair band music?”

“Only if the police are called in for excessive noise and disturbing the neighbors,” said Lori, as she looked down at her plate to hide that she wanted to laugh.

Nancy couldn’t resist and jumped on the - make fun of dad’s singing bandwagon. “Yeah dad, there were police helicopters and news media all over the place, they thought that an animal was caught in a trap or something.”

“Hey, I’ll have you girls known that I was in the swing choir in high school and we won second place in the music festival.”

“You had to win second place, there was only two schools that showed up, yours was one of them.” Interjected Carmen.

“Ok, girls, let’s stop with the jokes now. Your dad has been taking it like real trooper. Now let him eat his dinner before it gets cold.”

“How bout’ we stop if he stops this joke about going out to observe the working skills of today’s youth. I fear he’ll go to a place where my friends work and I’ll be picked on for the rest of my life!” Carmen cried out in one of her overly drama flairs.

“Carmen, I can’t say it enough…please get your application in and get into acting. Trust me when I say that you’ll be rich forever.” Replied Bill, before taking another bite of his cheese burger.

“Well while you three discuss who is doing what and who isn’t, meaning cleaning the table and putting the dishes away…I’m going upstairs to get my private eye outfit on, can’t go looking like somebody’s mom now can I.” Lori said in a witty tone of voice. “Oh and Bill when you’re ready to get our N.C.I.S. mission underway, let me know and we’ll be out the door in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”

With part of his hamburger still in the process of being chewed up in his mouth, Bill pushed it to the right side of his cheek with his tongue and exclaimed, “Baby I’m ready! Get your poop in a group and let ‘s get this party started!”

Turning a bit green Nancy found the ability to share her feelings on her dad’s poor table manners, “Poop? Party? I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Ok girls, you are in charge of the cleaning details and make sure that one of you take the dog out before poop really hits the fan.”

“Ewww Dad that is so gross.” Both girls replied together in their best annoyed voices.

As the clock struck 8pm, Lori was dressed, out the door and waiting for Bill. He was usually the first one in the car bitching that the women of the house were was always running late, especially Lori, and without fail he would always remark that she  of all people would even be late to her own funeral if he wasn’t there to always keep her ass moving. This time the shoe was on the other foot.

As she began to grow inpatient, she glanced down at her watch and noticed it was 8:09 and was startled when she looked up at saw Bill dressed in a long trench coat, mirrored sun glasses and carrying one of his huge and heavy looking old military olive drab green duty bags that he immediately threw into the trunk of the car before getting into the driver’s seat.

She couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of her husband. “Oh my god..Bill you look like a flasher.”

“It’s my undercover disguise…what do you think?”

“You can't wear that, your going to get us arrested in that get up.”

“You worry too much. Want to see what I don't have on under this coat, He said with a wink of an eye. "Just relax, the fun is just beginning…Ziva.”

Lori blushed, “Oh Tony, you always know the right things to say to a girl.”

“So what kind of sweet nothings to you have to say to me?”

“Well, Seriously I’ve always wanted to say this one line, but there was there has never been the right time or place until now, “ she paused then continued while trying to keep a straight face, “What is the bag bitch?”

He was in awe that his wife had not only wanted to know what was in his secret detective bag, but that she had called him a bitch.

“Come on, what’s in the bag?”

He grinned sheepishly and said, “The most important items any great detective would have while conducting and undercover investigation.”

“Yeah, like what?”

 “You know important things like a Camera, cell phones, batteries, a fiber one bar, peanut M&M’s, a soda and a bottle of water, tums, Tylenol and chap stick.”

All Lori could do at this point was to keep from laughing herself to death as she found this crazy plan rather comical. She was also very intrigued by this witty, imaginative side of her husband that she had never seen before. To her it was actually fun and made her feel youthful again.

“Strap in Ziva. Our first stop - the fast food locations in the mall.”

“Ok Tony, let’s roll.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRQAF3CLQ84

Due to my extra creative want to write this story, it has been lengthened and we all know what that means and can be described in three words - To be Continued…

"The Experiment" Part II

I do apologize for the delay in my story continuation. I had surgery last Thursday, and happy to report the days of pain and medications that numb the brain and has had me sleeping most of my days away has pretty much come to an end. WAA WHOO! I have the music cranked up and I have found my words that have me writing once again, and so without further delay - let the story continue.

"The Experiment" Part II

By Stacey L. Bolin

You would have thought that Bill was about to audition for some great police drama or better yet, Hollywood wanted him to be their next, off the charts, reality personality. The hours to Friday night would not tick by fast enough to accommodate his growing excitement. All week long he plotted and planned as he gathered his best uncover garb and attained a look that would render him unidentifiable. Now he was only hours away. He decided to take on the best  - I’m a tourist look - from the Mandel's on his feet, that he wore with socks, to going as far as having his sexy salt and pepper colored hair cut and dyed in some crazy I colored it myself brown.

“So what do you think?” Bill exclaimed as he came from around the corner into the kitchen where his wife and daughters were closing out another day working on organizing new recipes into their cookbook notebook that they wanted to have published one day.

The room instantly filled with the type of laughter that would have a person rolling on the floor holding their stomach as their eyes filled with uncontrollable tears.  

“Bill…what…” Lori tried to get the words out but the laughter had consumed her.

“What? What’s wrong with my look?” Said Bill, very serious about what he had done and rather proud of it too.

“Dad, please tell me this is an idea for Halloween or your applying for a new job with the Circus?” Carmen interjected and intensified the laughter in the room.

“No. I’m going undercover with your mother to see how your friends behave when they are working.”

"You're what!" Both girls shouted out simultaneously.

An immediate silence strangled the laughter of the room as Lori felt the intensity of glaring eyes, from her daughters, upon her back.

“Mom? Please tell me my friends will not see this! I will be a laughing stock of the whole school!” Nancy cried out in horror.

Lori still wanting to laugh, replied in her best serious mother tone, “Maybe he’ll wear a hat. It’s really not that bad.”

“Nobody will recognize me, I’m sure of that.” Bill replied with a smile and then sauntered off to the garage to locate an old AC/DC rock shirt that he had stowed away with the rest of his single life.

“Girls, your dad had an idea the other night and he is really excited about it. I know it seems a bit extreme, but I’m sure he means well and is not doing this just to embarrass the both of you. He just needs to validate some feelings he is struggling with.”

“Can’t he struggle in private Mom?” replied Nancy.

“Yeah, I mean really mom he looks like some crazy person, they’ll never let him in the doors to any place.” Carmen remarked, with the predictable roll of her eyes when she disliked a topic of conversation.

“Then Carmen, I guess you’ll have nothing to worry about, do you.” Lori snapped back as she was becoming very agitated by Carmen’s once again negative attitude, and understood why Bill was so set on getting answers to his experiment.

“Whatever!” Carmen shouted and went to her room.

“There she goes again,” said Nancy as she turned to her mom, “So when is this experiment supposed to happen?”

“Friday Night.”

“You mean Friday night as in tomorrow night?”

“Wow, tomorrow is Friday already?” she thought to herself and then sighed, “To answer your question Nancy…yes tomorrow night.”

“Good luck mom…you’re going to need it.”

 ***

That night as Bill and Lori lay side by side in their bed; Lori couldn’t help but hear her daughters concerns running through her mind, while at the same time, she tried to find the right words to ask her husband what the real reason was behind his experiment. She wondered if he was experiencing the beginnings of some sort of middle life crisis and was feeling that maybe he had not done everything he had sought out too one time or another in his life.

“You still awake?” bill asked in a soft spoken voice.

“Yes, are you?”

He laughed, “Yep. Can’t sleep.”

“Why not?”

“I heard what the girls said about me when I left the room.”

“A bit harsh, hua?”

“I guess, but I was a bit shocking with my attire.”

“More like the new hair style. Maybe you should have shared your idea with them first to give them time to accept what it is your trying to accomplish.” She stopped for a moment, and then proceeded to ask, “Bill, why are you really doing this?”

He lay there silent staring up at the ceiling. He wanted to tell her everything he was dealing with, but just couldn't find the words that made him feel he was safe to share his true feelings, for fear of being looked at with different eyes and honestly he really wasn't the type to really open up. At a very young and impressionable age, his father began to instill a set of guidelines to becoming a man. He believed his job was to provide for his family, and do all the manly things his dad taught him, but the one thing that his dad did teach him and was wrong – never let a woman see you cry and never tell her what you’re feeling as she will never see you as a real man once you do. It was this statement that had stayed permanently imprinted  like a tattoo in his thoughts and steering his life, and his choices,  since he was a young man at the age of ten.

“Come on hon, it’s just you and I now. Something has its grips on you and I’d like to help if I can.”

“I know you would. It’s really nothing, it’s like I said before, and I just want to know how the other kids in the world are doing in the work force.” He replied followed by a yawn.

“Bill, I’m feeling there is much more to this, and if I am wrong, then I apologize now for thinking anything more, but if there is more, always know that you can talk to me and if you still decided tomorrow that you want to follow through with your experiment I support you 100%,” and with that, she sat up, leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on his lips and then snuggled down beside him.

"You think the girls were shocked tonight they haven't see anything yet, wait until they see what my experiment reveals. I've decided to have you do the video footage - this house is really going to light up." he grinned and then turned his head towards his wife and said in a serious tone of voice, "I love you Lori.”

“I love you more.”

“Not a chance.” He said before they both drifted off to sleep.

To be continued.....
Join me tomorrow for the conclusion of Bill and Lori's crazy adventure and their shocking discovery. Until then - Blog ya later. 

"The Experiment" Part I

It was dinner around the table as usual, in home of Bill and Lori Keebler and their two daughters, Nancy 15, and her older sister Carmen, who had just turn 19. Bill and Lori always found it very interesting that every night like clockwork, their girls would get carried away with their timely banter, bickering and bitching on various topics that included - but were not limited to, who was more beautiful, who had more friends, who had more guy friends, and who made the most money - a topic that Nancy loved to rub in her sister’s face.

Nancy was always spearheading some plan or idea to generate money into what she liked to call her “Soon to be a million” account.  She held down many odd jobs that included, babysitting, dog walking, minor sewing and selling potted flowers that she would grow in a small area in the garage over the winter months, and would sell them to family, friends and neighbors during the spring planting season.  She clearly was the Donald Trump, of the family and if there was a nickel to be made, she’d be the first to figure out how, and then make it happen. 

Carmen on the other hand, was clearly one that was destine to be in the movies and there wasn’t a day that didn’t go by that she was either a part of, had been a part of, or was about to be a part of the latest Facebook school girl drama and end up on the twitter bus to hell. She never had a dime to her name, and when she did, she would find a way to get rid of it fast.

Bill always remarked that if it wasn’t for her acting skills, he honestly believed that she was never going to have a job, or at least one that lasted more than three days - which was usually the time span before the imaginary stress in her mind would have her believing that she was over qualified for the job and that people were just stupid.  Her replies to Bills remarks would always result in the same way night after night - roll of her eyes and a stern flip of her long auburn locks of curly hair over her shoulder she’d reply, “Whatever Dad!”

It was at this moment an idea had presented itself in Bills mind, but was he on the right path? You see, Bill and Lori were always so amazed at how their daughters, who have grown up in the same house hold, under the same daily routines with the same expectations, and having basically the same interests, viewed the importance of having a job like trying to merge motor oil with milk.  Where Nancy understood that being financially independent was an important part of life, Carmen honestly believed that things in life were owed to her, and that she could never understand why nobody could see that she was clearly manager material and would never lower herself to start at the bottom of any job.

Thus type of thinking, set the wheels in motion for Bill to try and figure out once and for all, was this mind set something he and Lori had created all these years, or was it just this generation, and with that “The Experiment” was born.

When the girls had excused themselves from the table and his wife went downstairs to do a load of laundry, his thought ravished brain began to morph his visions onto the blank pages of notebook paper he had taken out of Carmen’s book bag.  He continued to sit at the table intently drawing pages of charts and graphs all with columns with ample space for quality note taking. When his wife had returned to the dining room, she was amazed at the amount of work that had gone into his idea, but she feared asking what it was, like a mother being asked by a two year old, “Can you guess what this is?”  You know it’s a picture of something, but fear having to ask and putting their self-esteem at risk. She sat down and watched without question as he muttered and stewed over his creation.

“I’ve done it!” he shouted out loud with sheer excitement.

“Done what Mr. Einstein?” Lori said with a smirk. She had not seen him this excited since the time when he receive playboy magazine instead of the TV. guide, because she had put the wrong sticker on the – win ten million dollars a year for life - Publishers Clearing House order form. To Bill, he was the only winner that year, and was happy it came in the form of sexy women in tantalizing poses across the glossy pages that came in black plastic to conceal his erotic pleasure that had been mailed to him by his wife. She’d never make that mistake again and was glad when the two year subscription was over.

He rubbed his hands together and said, like a man about to dive into an uncut chocolate cake and grinned a sheepish grin as if Lori had told him, he’d gotten his playboy subscription renewed, “This experiment is going to shed some light on our situation.”

“Situation?” at this point Lori didn’t know what to think. “Bill, are you feeling OK?”

“Couldn’t feel better,” he said as he organized his pages and began to explain. “What we are going to do is go to twenty businesses over the weekend, and watch twenty boys and twenty girls while they are working.”

“Bill, um, hon, I think that is illegal and called stalking.”

“I don’t mean this is a negative way. Just hear me out. I want to understand what is going on with the young adults of today. We as parents have done all we can to instill in our children the importance of being respectful, honest, and what it takes to make it in life. I just don’t understand why it is so hard for us to get Carmen to understand that she needs to get a job. She has been out of High School for almost a year and still thinks that everything in her life is just going to hand itself to her.”

“Ok, but how does this influence all this creativeness on our dining room table?”

“I want to do an experiment and grade the new generation of males and females in today’s work force. No names will be written down, just check marks in the following categories”.

1.     Customer Service

2.     Attention to detail

3.     Respect for their employer

4.     Respect for others

5.     Ability to speak clearly and effectively

 

“And you want to do this when? It sounds more like a College thesis to me.”

“The sooner the better.” He replied with a grin, “But starting Friday night would be fine too. This is going to be great; I always wanted to know what it was like to work undercover.”

“Bill, this isn’t an episode of Nash Bridges or Hawaii Five-O. We are two adults wanting to learn more about helping our daughter succeed in life.”

“Two adults? Are you saying you’re going to go out on this undercover mission with me?”

“I guess so.” she replied, “But only if I get to play Ziva from N.C.I.S.”

“Ok, then I'll be Tony.” He said with a huge grin and a twinkle to his eyes. “Let’s set our watches. Friday our undercover project will commence at 18:00 hours sharp.”

“Bill...we watch way to much crime story television." Lori said followed with laughter, "What are the girls going to say when they find out what we are about to do?"

 

To Be Continued….

Righting My Wrongs

I sit here troubled this morning and wonder, what would you do in the name of love for your child/children?  If you saw them on a path of wrongs, would you try to right them...ok or atleast some of them? What if your child/children decided that the best respect they could show you, is none...would you accept that or continue to teach why respect is vital, not just for one's parents, but for all the people? Do you have a child or children that justs tone you out on a daily basis? I'm sure we all do now and again. While everyone out there that has or has had children, have their own methods of parenting, I am sure many of my questions could have been the very same questions that danced inside your thoughts while parenting. Yet, how would you feel if you realized that what was happening in your life now was because of something years ago?

I saw a quote by Christina Ricci, in a magazine the other day that really hit home, "You have to make a decision that you're not going to be crippled by your insecurities". She is so right and I have done just that. Here is my story of parental awakening.

Becoming a new mother while undergoing cancer treatments was a challenge. It was up to me to keep the home front going why my husband endured long hours at work to make financial ends meet. I had the baby stuff and the house wife stuff, for the most part, down to a science until I let fear of the unknown get its grips on me. It didn't matter if it was health related, people related, life related, I felt like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. My biggest worry...ok fear, was that my children would be hurt or get hurt as they grew from the infants that came home from the hospital to young men, to young adults. I guess one could say, because of that intense fear - I sheltered them. Yikes, I've actually said it, wow there it is in print and to read and see it has moved me to tears. I have made it public, one of my many flaws that I am willing to take responsiblity for.  I had to start somewhere.

I let my own insecurities of the bad in the world, the unknown dangers, and feelings that I had, to constantly protect them, take full control. This is my belief as to why I feel they lack some life and social skills.  But it doesn't stop there. I also wanted them to look at me as the best mom in the world, what mother doesn't want that feeling, and they would always cherrish and love me. So why did this mom think this way - because she did everything for them. I created a world where they have been living like little kings. I was always picking up after them when they should have been learning to pick up their own things. Getting their laundry out of their rooms for them, when they should have been getting the laundry in the hamper for me. fighting their battles for them, ok and at times protecting them when there should have been consequences and the list goes on and on and on. I feel that by doing all these things and so much more for them, they never learned responsiblity and to respect themselves.  I've always heard if you don't love yourself, you can't love others, and I can say the same for respect, if you don't have respect for yourself, your home and/or your things, how can you be respectful for other people and their things?

So with all this opening up on my part and sharing my struggles within, where am I going with all of this? My boys need to understand that what I do and say as a parent now, is not out of hate, it is out of love. They run to their dad, hoping to over throw the Queen, by going to the King playing him against her. So the first important lesson now - The King and Queen are now comparing stories and that lies will get one nowhere.

For one, I have two years, and the other, four years, to correct my wrongs and to instill years worth of teaching into a short time frame. To the outside world, not to many know the new challeges we are facing as parents of two teenage boys. Right now I am the bad guy in the eyes of my older son, and I can safely say he is cussing the ground I walk on, because of the new life lessons being implemented. The second important lesson, my husband and I are a team, No means no, and if we ask you do to something, it will be when we ask, not when it is convenient.  My youngest son is a very quick learner, guess we caught it in time. (smile). The oldest is like trying to break a young stallion that has been so used to his word as being the "My Way World". 

It was just last night that I finally talked with my oldest son as a young adult and not a young man. Words of advice, if you want your kids to listen, put them in the car with you and drive around. In a car your voice is buffed, less annoying than a house that echoes. A drive home from an event last night, I finally admitted to him that I take full responsibilty as to why he does what he does. That I have learned that he needs important life skills to venture out into this huge mass called life. That he needs to be mind full that he is almost 18 and life will change for him both dramatically and drastically. Things he says and things he does could have either a postivie or a negative impact. He will now also have to be exceptionally mindful of his behaviors around the young ladies. I think this was a lot for him to take in and yes I am sure I am the bad guy this morning, but I have to start somewhere on this issue too. Yes I know that both my kids will make mistakes, that is how they will learn. But they will also learn that I will speak up when I'm told to stand back. Will they tone me out? Yep, I am almost sure of it, but in my heart of hearts, I won't have any future regret for not taking a stand in trying to steer my kids to stay on the right path. I know someday soon they will be on their own, and they are going to do what they want to do and will come to me when they need a friend or guidance, but for now I am not their friend - I am their mother and I am the only mother they have in this world! I will say and do things they are not going to like, and they are not going to understand what it was I am trying to do, for a very long time or mabye after I am long gone.  

So, my dear boys, if you see this someday or your friends tell you...wow you made your mothers blog today, please know - You two and your dad are the reasons why I get up in the morning. My intensions are filled with only love and what is best for all of you, all of us as a family. Why I struggle in this dreery economy to do my part to help make our financial ends meet. You are the reasons why I chose and still choose to live. To sum it up in the three most important words in the world - "I LOVE YOU!" and I always will.