Thursday, March 24, 2011

Homeward Bound

"Mom! Let him do what he wants. He's strong."

Apparently Acacia overheard me joking with Jeanette that I should tell Nick he agreed in his post-op fog to let me pick him up today. She sounded so grown-up - not least because she normally calls me Mama - and hearing her say that so adamantly made me realise that the last thing Nick needs is me hassling him.

Remember Barr, Kristin and Scott's pro-pilot? Well he lives in El Paso, TX, and he had offered to pick Nick up. When Nick agreed to it, he was under the impression that Barr was driving from El Paso to Wyoming, and would be passing through town on his way. When I chatted with Barr yesterday morning it became clear that he was planning on driving from El Paso, to ABQ, to Durango, and the following day would return to El Paso! I knew there would be no way Nick would agree to that, and Barr and I briefly toyed with the idea of not letting him know. When I say briefly, I mean for two seconds. We both knew what Nick's reaction would be but I had to tell him. We were floored by Barr's generosity.

Turns out that in the same way that I thought it made more sense for me to drive eight hours than for Barr to drive sixteen, Nick thinks it makes more sense for him to sit on a bus for five hours than for me to drive eight. Can't fault his logic, but I googled the locations of the hospital and the bus station to make sure they really were very near each before agreeing. You all know that when Nick says it's "just down the street," it usually means ten miles, and "it won't take long at all" means he'll walk. But the bus is indeed a couple of blocks from the hospital. He returned the rental yesterday, he checked himself out of the hospital near noon today, went for lunch and is now sitting on a bus.

So there you go, Acacia. I let your strong Papa do what he wanted. Sometimes you just have to let go.

1 comment:

  1. At least, you can still wait for him at the bus station in Durango ! And give him a huge hug from all of us !
    On vous embrasse
    Corinne

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