Officer and Gentleman in Training

Charley, the very best athlete, scholar, gentleman in training, kid who knows how to be a friend, geek, gamer, and son that I have.

I mentioned to a friend that my toothpaste seemed frozen and jokingly suggested that I microwave it, the storms and bitter cold here have been relentless, and hey, the toothpaste has been stiffer than well, it's been stiff. She said to make sure the cap was on really tight before microwaving...(great visual huh?).... This fun and silly exchange reminded me of a story I was told years ago by the original subject, and I think it's safe to tell now, I can't imagine otherwise.

In an officers club at an undisclosed airbase, I met a very nice gentleman who flew a specific type of aircraft for our government, which meant he was up there in the dark, for days. While on assignments he ate and drank by tubes of substances which much resemble tubes of toothpaste. One was to heat up these foods in the console of the aircraft, by putting the tube into a heater. Long missions, in the dark and flying solo. He slid a tube of something into the heater, and forgot about it, while going about his data recordation and silent etcetera. Of a sudden there was a huge explosion, and he was blinded-essentially the "Houston, we've got a problem...", scenario from hell. No lights, no instruments, no vision, and a bizarre hot odor. He thought he was a goner, up there where ejecting is not an option. Well, to end this tiny tale, the food heater had malfunctioned and his tube of butterscotch pudding exploded, covering the entire cockpit interior in a thick and gooey, dripping mass of hot pudding. Being a true soldier, he figured all this out in nanoseconds and recovered, but he never heard the end of it from the ground crew, or his commanding officers.

My son Charley may well consider the military as one option for the future and bless his young self, he's just nearly 14, I want him more than anything to be happy. I don't want to lose him in Afghanistan, or anywhere for that matter, and that's my selfish mom me talking, but this is my blog and I can do that. Cripes, he could get killed in school these days.

When Charley was about 6, he brought me a drawing of a device that would make buttered popcorn under water. That was the first of many interesting childhood inventions. It sounds dopey but his imagination is endless, considering the fact he never said a word until he was nearly 4, not bad for make-up. Charley's outstanding athletic ability is to be credited to his father, who has challenged him as a real father should, and many don't. Sure, he can be a soldier, an officer, fly planes, invent stuff, no problem, he could fight a war now if necessary. Thank God we don't send 14 year olds into combat like other countries. But he could also be ummmm....president! Isn't that just like a mom? Charley, you rock, and will excel at whatever you choose.