by Richard
Creepy is a good word I can use to describe the Compound de Dude these days. It really is too quiet. Of course there’s the animals and the loud, annoying sounds they make when they cross paths, but that’s as nothing compared to the wailing, nails-on-blackboard screaming, laughing and elephants-on-stampede sounds from the stairs that we’re used to having around here.
All three young dudes are off at their various summer camps and activities. Sarcasmo is in China, working with pandas and traveling around to visit the wonders of that far-off country. Zippy the Delivery Boy is in Wilmington, getting his advanced open-water certification in scuba from PADI and learning about marine biology at the MarineQuest summer camp. Hyper Lad is the least daring of the bunch (but only because he’s constrained by his young age) and is attending a two-week YMCA camp in the mountains. It’s his sixth year at Camp Cheerio, where he’s following the footsteps of his brothers.
So, yeah. Without them around to loud up the place, it’s feeling a little like the future. Like the future when they’re all grown, most of them are out of college and they’re no longer living at home. It’s a taste of what life will be like and I’m not sure it’s a dish I’m ready to be served.
For now, though, we’re still only a couple of weeks away from having them all return and things will be returning to normal. For about three weeks until Sarcasmo heads off to college at High Point University.
Of course, another good thing about this small stretch of time, is that we are, in fact, childless. I and my wife, known to me for these two weeks as She Who Must Be Satisfied (Good, God, Woman I’m Only Human), can, if we want, walk around the house naked and not have to worry about scarring anyone. Well, no one except for the construction workers who’s taken over the house for our renovation.
Okay, maybe I didn’t think that bit through, but I’m sure we’ll find some use for our alone time. Thanks for asking.
