Empty Nest: Day 2

Don’t worry, I’m not going to do this every night…

Ross invited me to dinner to show me the progress he’s made on his
apartment.  "Would you mind bringing either a pizza or some Chinese
food?  Please?" 

By golly he has made progress in that apartment.  He lined the shelves
in the kitchen as I had suggested.  He purchased a tablecloth for the
table and even had the table set by the time I arrived.  There’s a
masculine looking candle arrangement on the corner end table, some "art
work" I hadn’t seen before.  Boxes are neatly stacked in the storage
closet.  The shower curtain is up.  He served me dinner.  We chatted. 

He looks very tired and too skinny. 

"You’re not going to cry are you Mom?"  He revealed that last night he did, just a little.

"You are crying!"

"No I’m not."

"Yes you are!"

"OK, but just remember, I’m saving the BIG CRY" (for when I leave for Iowa).

"What?  You mean this isn’t the BIG CRY?  MOM, what are you DOING to me!?" 

It was time for me to leave.  I planted a big kiss on the top of his head and reminded him I love him. 

He held his own, at least until after I left.

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Author: stevekuusisto

Poet, Essayist, Blogger, Journalist, Memoirist, Disability Rights Advocate, Public Speaker, Professor, Syracuse University

0 thoughts on “Empty Nest: Day 2”

  1. Jennifer, hi!
    Well the “art work” was given to him by friends. Another friend said “enough of this Victorian era stuff man…tell them thanks but no thanks”
    I think he was specifically referring to a print of three vases sitting on a mantle. Not exactly what Ross would have chosen, I’m sure!

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  3. Thanks for the note, BG. The thought of you tearing up over my tearing up is enough to get me going all over again!
    I haven’t taken the photos yet. The “art” is not yet on the walls and there are still some boxes in the middle of the floor. If I’m lucky I’ll be invited back. (Probably the next time he craves pizza.) I’ll take some photos then.

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  4. Aw. This made me tear up! And my first thought was, “I hope Connie got a picture of the candle and the ‘artwork.'”
    A first apartment is such a *great* thing. Like The Skimmer said when I told him about this post — You walk around and just stare at the rooms. Such a feeling of being a grown up. So surreal.
    Well, you’re surviving, Connie! And write about all you want. So what if it makes your readers cry!

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