This is Red 5, I’m going in.

[anastasiav]

Every morning as we walk down the front steps E turns to me and says "Pilot, prepare for takeoff."

He's the Jedi. I call him "General". I'm the pilot of his transport. He calls me "Pilot". Every morning I pilot our spaceship to Coruscant so he can meet with the Jedi council. Any red cars we see along our path are enemy ships and must be blasted - I make the Pew Pew Pew sounds while he mans a larger weapon that makes a Ffffwwwwup-POW noise and blows them to smithereens. When he is the General, he speaks to me in his serious, grown-up voice that I think he copied from listening to Kenneth Branagh narrating the Walking with Dinosaurs programs.

When we arrive at school .. er, I mean, when we arrive on Coruscant, the general regards me sternly: Fly safely, keep a watchful eye. I tell the General that I'm very proud of him, and I hope he has a great day. As he steps out of the shuttle and pulls on his backpack, I always say "Good luck, General, and may the force be with you."

"Don't worry, Pilot," he tells me, "there's no such thing as luck."

Comments

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

If you ever get tired of him, I will be glad to take him on.

You are still on the hook for college. :-)

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

Be careful; there are days when I might take you up on that....

Probably not, though. We've put so much time into him so far...

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

I know you, and I know parents.

You'd never give him up.

Lend him out? Oh, heck yeah. Camp Grandma? For sure.

But we love our kids. I know you.

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

... and I know that you know, as the parent of a child with not-quite-typical needs, that there are some days when you say "I did NOT sign up for this." :-)

But then The General always seems to redeem himself, somehow, what with the unconditional love and the epic cuteness.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

I sometimes use the phrase "not bog-standard". :-)

Maybe it is a sign of actual maturity, but usually I complain that "I am not well prepared for this job".

I did sign up. :-)

Alas, I have been forced to demonstrate the adage that "there is nothing I wouldn't do for my child" a LITTLE more than average... but I know that most parents (like you) would do the exact same if called upon to serve.

And, around 1991, a co-worker taught me the value of a child: "You would not take a million bucks for yours, and you wouldn't pay a dime for anyone elses". :-)

But, in a day with too many work stresses, your story of The General was a beautiful balm, and I am so glad the two of you share these moments. They are the fuel for a lifetime of love.