People Suck. It's a fact. Sometimes, some people suck. Do you remember the first time you had this realization? It seems we all live in this nice bubble, thinking everyone is nice until -- BAM!-- something happens that changes this for you. For Andrew, this event happened last Friday.
All three boys take swimming lessons at our local high school. The lessons run every day for two weeks straight. Every day I send the boys into the locker room to get dressed and ready, and then they return again to the locker room on their own. (Absolutely, this is one of the perks of having boys. I just sit and read my book and wait.)
Last Friday, I was standing by the locker room, reading my book and waiting, when Andrew yelled out to me that he couldn't find his clothes; they weren't where he left them in locker 74. I began to ask if he was sure about the locker number, but then I remembered -- this is Andrew we are talking about. He doesn't forget a number.
I could hear the boys opening and slamming lockers all around, looking for Andrew's shoes and shirt. Eventually, they locate his shoes on top of the lockers where Andrew most obviously did not place them because he couldn't even reach them. I had to send in the salvation, my father in law, to retrieve the shoes from the high placement. But his shirt was still lost.
At this point Andrew's eyes fill with tears as he feels terrible that someone has played a trick on him. We troop out and tell both the lifeguard and the pool manager, and both admit that sometimes "Kids are cruel." Andrew just couldn't grasp that. Why would someone, who probably didn't even know him, decide to take his shoes and toss them up high? Why would they take his tee shirt?
Eventually, they found his shirt in a random locker far from where he put it. Relieved, Andrew put his shirt on and we shuffled out of the school. Today, they plan to leave all their belongings with me for the lessons.
I hate that these types of lessons are starting. I like the little bubble we live in where the meanest thing that happens come from your brothers. When something cruel happens from other people, we take it even more personally. Andrew, unfortunately, now understands that sometimes, people just suck.
2 comments:
This is, to me, one of the greatest pieces of wisdom one can learn in his/her life. I struggle with that thought every day... STILL! :) Tough lesson, though, to face as a kid.
Tough lesson! How cruel kids can be even to those they don't even know! Yes Andrew, sometimes people suck! But fortunately there are a lot more that don't!
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