22: Mom, Something Has Happened
If Tricia were to write a book about what it’s like to be the mother of two boys, the title might just be, “Mom, something has happened.” This episode was actually recorded a day later than planned because of, well…that headline.
Tricia ‘s family’s current challenge happened just two days before this recording, when her older son was swimming with some buddies and jumped off a 15-foot cliff into shallow water, breaking his tibia and affecting the growth plate in his leg. Fortunately his younger brother was one of the ‘buddies’ along for this adventure, and his first words to his mother on the emergency cell phone call were, “Mom? Something happened.”
Tricia isn’t upset in telling the story; actually she is feeling mostly annoyed that once again, her son has broken yet another bone, has yet another cast, and messed up yet another summer—for the whole family, really. Rob reminds her, though, that “five years ago when this happened, you actually got a husband out of the deal, so…what could there possibly be that could make this whole thing redeemable??” (Leave it to a brother.)
Rob reflects on the fact that his judgment during those years of his life was no better than his nephew’s; he was just…lucky. He didn’t ‘barrel’ into the car in front of him on that icy day, but dents were involved, and he had no choice but to call Dad, whom he found to be full of grace and kindness in light of his son’s driving mishap. But just a few weeks later when Rob decided to learn how to spin a car on an icy back road—and how to spin it right into a ditch—his dad seemed to suddenly forget to bring all that kindness, patience and grace to this situation!
Rob and Tricia end this episode on a light note, sharing the creative answers people have given to finish this sentence: “There are two kinds of people in this world…!” Tricia’s favorite answer: “…those who place their toilet paper ‘over’… and those who are wrong!”
And in closing, Rob admits his honest and true feelings about cats. All cats.