I didn't bother going into the office today. I called David and told him that if anything pops up that he needs me for I'm only a phone call away. I can't imagine anything arising that I can't handle over the phone, or wouldn't handle that way even were I there.
I'm spending the afternoon with Nathaniel and Anthony and I have no clue as to what may be in store. We may end up at the lake or at the golf course, or perhaps some place I have yet to imagine. Its entirely up to them, pray that they don't try to get me onto a skateboard or something.
Anthony more or less officially moved in last evening and I think I'm going to rather enjoy his company. He can certainly more than hold up his end of a conversation. I find his political views quite enlightening. If it is possible he may be more conservative in many ways than I. Of course I have always thought myself more of a centrist anyway, you know those wishy washy middle of the roaders who simply can't seem to make up their minds.
It seems that his parents plans are somewhat open-ended this year, they may be back in time for school to start, maybe not. Sad really! I wonder just what it is that possesses such people. Imagine leaving your only child to his own devises for an indeterminate period of time. Yeah, I know he is seventeen, but this has been going on since he was fourteen.
Daniel stopped by last night quite late, in fact it was after Nate and Anthony had gone to their rooms (yes I said rooms, as in separate) He wanted to spend some time with his son, so I called Nate back downstairs. He showed up a few minutes later with Anthony in tow. Daniel looked disappointed that Anthony was present, he really wanted some one on one with Nate. So I nudged Anthony and took him downstairs to play a game of pool. Damn is there anything that kid does that he isn't good at? He whooped up on me real good I tell ya!
After about an hour Daniel saunters down the stairs. "So this is what its all about, the two of you sneak down here to play leaving Nate and me all alone! How about a little wager, Nate and I against the two of you, the losers cook Sunday breakfast for the winners. One game, winner take all."
Always a sucker for a friendly wager I agreed. Needless to say Anthony and I are cooking breakfast this coming Sunday. Anthony is good, but Nathaniel is better and David is no slouch either. I think pool is the first game of skill that Nate mastered, largely because he could play alone, without any interference from others.
After the grudge match the boys went back to their rooms and Daniel spent about an hour talking about life in general. He seems to be taking the pending divorce in stride, much as I suspected he would. He knew it was coming, but had hoped otherwise. It seems that Janet is moving to her parents next week, they are both infirm and need her help. I wonder how she will handle the pressures of twenty-four hour care.
The last time I had a lengthy chat with my oldest granddaughter, Nate's sister Alicia, she provided me in a most matter of fact manner with some quite startling information. We were sitting in John's back yard watching the boys (before Nate's meltdown) toss a football back and forth. "I just isn't fair, Nate gets all the hot guys!"
My mind went blank for a second or two hoping I hadn't heard what I had just heard. Unfortunately my ears were in good working order and I had heard correctly. I coaxed her to elaborate on the subject a bit, as I was of the impression that other than the 'messing around' thing with Aaron and Jason, that Anthony was Nate's first.
As it turns out, if Alicia's observations are correct there have been several over the past two years. "Well, first there was Troy, you know Troy , he's the quarterback on the football team. He's so hot, all the girls want him! That was last year. Then there was Brian, one of the best stick-men on the hockey team. He's hot too but not very friendly. After that it was Scott, Scott's kind of a nerd, but he is hot and popular too and sooo friendly. I really like him. OK, so maybe he's not a nerd. Then of course you know about Anthony, what a dream he is, before he started up with Nate all the girls simply swooned whenever he was around. Some of the kids at school say that Nate could have any guy he wants, even the supposedly straight guys like him. My friend Josh, Relax Gramps, he's just a friend. Anyway he says, 'At least we know that two of the hottest guys in school are off the market." Then without so much as taking a breath, "I think Josh is a little iffy, he says that he's straight but a girl can sense things like that, you know what I mean Gramps?"
Not really young one, not really. I haven't talked to Nathaniel about these revelations and I may not. She did go on to clarify somewhat by reassuring me that she had no idea whether or not 'there was anything going on, you know, behind the scenes' But they were apparently very close, each in their turn.
I'm sure I paraphrased the monologue to a large degree, it has been several days. That is the gist of it anyway. It did tell me a thing or two though, Alicia has accepted her brother's choice as a simple fact of life, and evidently Nate has been a rather busy boy one way or the other.
Saturday I think I'm going to gather the clan for a backyard BBQ, after all it will have been a whole week since we have been all together. Yeah I have a family dependency issue. I simply need to have them around. I better get going on that since it is already Thursday afternoon.
They have nothing better to do than to spend the day with the old man anyway!
