I Get the Afternoon Off

Not surprisingly, he began by calling me "sir". ARRGGGHHH!

He had a little chin hair, and a good short haircut. His hair color reminds me of my own at his age.

His eyes are well-set in his skull - he looks intelligent and alert. His body language is athletic, responsible, and sensitive.

He was wearing two tee shirt-y things, and a front-zippered hoody with some kind of message on the front. I suppose the silver herring-bone necklace is age-approppriate. It's better than an "Italian lucky tooth", I suppose.

He has good teeth.

"First off, call me 'Holden'. I can't deal with 'mister' or 'sir'."

He is a pleasant person.

We discussed some rules of interaction, centering around communication and respect, openness and honesty, and courage. I learned a bit about his sibs and parents, and his just-deceased grandmother.

"Grace said you'd be here at 10:30; you got here at 11:15. Call when you know you're behind schedule. My time's flexible, but I have to use all my time each day to make enough money, tend to Mackenzie, maintain my life."

He had a Biology test, and it took longer to complete than he thought. Also, it may be that Grace had misunderstood when he expected to arrive.

"This is too weird a situation for me to know what to do or say. But, what I know about you - which is all second- and third-hand - I like. You've conducted yourself courageously. I'm proud of you. I don't know what to expect in the future, but you're off to a perfect start.

"Also, I'm not one of those parents who thinks his kid can do no wrong. If you'll be straight up with me, if Grace mistreats you, I'll be on her like white on rice. If I think you're doing her wrong, or if you're not being a positive influence in Mackenzie's life, I'll tell you in a direct way. You may think I'm an asshole, but you'll know for sure just what sort of asshole I am."

We were standing at the end of the driveway, and Mackenzie was nodding in the car seat in the front of his truck.

His name is Eric Ainsworth. More about him later.