Soiree

Yesterday I came home from school and counseling to learn that MOBB and I were supposed to attend a dinner party in three hours.

Okay, that's not entirely accurate. I'd actually learned about this two weeks ago. That's also when I was given the task of finding a sitter.

I completely forgot.

But just when it looked like our evening was going to be a rather unhappy stay-at-home affair, our terrific sitter materialized.

***

The steam cleaner that I use on the kitchen floor exploded yesterday. It's not a joke, and it's not an exaggeration. I was midway through with it yesterday, and suddenly boiling water shout out of it in all directions. It was so fast that I can't even say what happened.

I was in jeans, fortunately. Though I got soaked, they protected me, and I had no discomfort. If I'd been bent down to look at it I might have taken the hit in my eyes. Or if either of the kids had been around we could have had a real emergency on our hands. It probably shot the water in about a six or seven foot radius.

I threw it away.

***

It was a good evening among some of MOBB's coworkers, complete with delicious food and a lot of humor. Naturally, MOBB brought up the toothbrush story. I'm glad my failures as a man can serve to amuse those around me.

***

The little soiree ended, and we headed out for entertainment. We couldn't really come to an agreement on a movie, so we headed to Main Event in Grapevine. I'd never been. It's sort of like Chuck E. Cheese for grownups and teens. They do serve alcohol, but it wasn't a bar or club-like environment.

I'm not a bowler, but I figured we could play pool or... say... what's laser tag?

***

Ho ho! Laser tag is cool!

Let me say from the get-go that I'm fully aware of the broad swaths of ignorance that run through my life. If I've not opted to pay attention to something, I've got about zero knowledge of it.

(Say... did you know that the Redskins actually play in Washington, DC, and not in Washington state? I'm just sayin'...)

So perhaps you're all familiar with laser tag. You strap on a vest, grab a laser gun, and run around a dark, foggy room zapping folks. Ours was a "free for all" format. MOBB and I were in there with two teenaged girls. I came in second place. MOBB came in last.

***

Wolfboy decided to get dramatic about drinking his milk this morning. Mind you, he'd been given a chocolate donut for breakfast already. I think MOBB was simply trying to assuage her guilt by making him drink the milk.

So he sat there for about an hour, mustering tears, and Olympic-caliber whining over the milk. Funny how a kid will take so long doing this sort of thing that the rejected food or drink gets to sit out long enough to change temperatures and actually become far more disgusting than it originally was.

He eventually drank it.

***

And that kid's losing teeth left and right. He's now got about as many as the entire front row at a Willie Nelson concert. And that ain't many.

***

Quite a week, quite a week. My heart's been spoken to from many different directions. Several people who are extremely important to me have entrusted me with their heartaches, their wounds both old and new, their wisdom, their inspiration, their worries... I've been very proud and touched, and I've gained a lot.

***

Happy Sunday.