Your Survival Guy’s been prepping like any other crazed parent of college-aged children: for the day when school’s out for summer. This, unlike any other summer when the kids were little and lived upstairs full time, is different. A lot different. They’ve been away, living on their own, for eight months or so. During that time, Your Survival Guy and Your Survival Gal did the light lifting of dishes for two, enjoyed quiet evenings streaming what our little hearts desired, walked our dog like the spoiled child he’s become. And it was all rather nice.
And then, two cars full of stuff arrived in my driveway without a moving crew. “Dad, I need to go see the crew (high school). They’re all getting together tonight. This car’s a mess. Can I take yours?” “Absolutely not.”
Later that night, with my car out on the town, I’m carrying boxes packed with the care and thoughtfulness of a bag of rocks. “Why even pack?” I thought to myself. Why bring this stuff home?
And the house? It’s amazing how small it has become in just a matter of days. Stuff everywhere. Not a clean dish to be found. But I’m good. I know it’s all coming crashing down in a few months when they leave us again. It’s terrible when they leave. It’s terrible being the ones who are left behind.
But back to the present. They say it’s a gift. I’ll get back to you on that one.
Because we have another freeloader in the house. Wait until I find this character: “It Wasn’t Me.” The cream is curdled in my coffee as I write to you. When I find him/her, I have a few words to share.
The kitchen can’t keep up with the orders. The grocery store seems like it’s on another planet because no one knows how to get there. Filling up the car with gas has become a game of limbo: how low can you go? Everyone’s “too busy.” Is it wrong to wonder when Labor Day is?
Action Line: Nobody’s listening to me. I’m not Their Survival Guy. I’m Your Survival Guy. Let’s talk.
P.S. Tomorrow on YourSurvivalGuy.com, you’ll read why We’d Never Spoke Before But He Knew Me.
Originally posted on Your Survival Guy.
