The circle is growing
My family is evolving (as it should). This week marks another birthday, and with personal schedules that are asynchronous, we ended up going out to a restaurant at the closest thing to a common moment possible. Except that the group members aren’t the same as before.
Imagine that I’ve suddenly gained surrogate daughters. That is, my sons have expanded their own social circles, and even if all the boys couldn’t come along, some of the girls could. New faces around the table, unfamiliar with the legends that spring from life in a family. Son #2 handled things in his own way, by retelling war stories.
Not actual combat tales, but the kind of things that brothers share. Parties that have derailed (slightly). Late nights turned into early mornings. Places and people that the parents have “not always” known about. War stories. And what turns out to be fun is watching the reactions of the “new hires”, who aren’t always sure how to react to events that are over the top, if only just a little.
And let’s not forget the dog, who has to expand her circles of friends (or else). When the crate and the muzzle were brought out of storage, her tail didn’t begin to wag with joy. Time for conciliation. “Keep your hands in your pockets” on one side of the room; Sit. Stay. on the other. Given enough time, both parties were able to establish common ground, but like any new social situation, instant admiration isn’t the prime motive. Maybe if the dog could talk…
