John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Parental Competition

Parental competition.

When a 19 year old son is traveling abroad and the two parents are trying to keep up with what’s happening based on short cryptic texts from said 19 year old son, the information exchanges can be interesting–and a little competitive.

Rebecca: “Have you heard from Johnny today?”

Me: “Yes, he sent me a text giving me an update of how he’s doing. Sounds like he’s having a …really good time.”

(Truth of the matter is I received only an abbreviated text saying, “Someone mentioned one of the company’s you represent.” That was all I got…but I didn’t what my wife to know that.

Naturally, I read more into the text than was really there. But the day before my wife had received not one but two texts from my son. According to her, he advised her of a number of updates about him personally and the itinerary.

But now I’m suspicious. Maybe she only got a short semi-coherent text and is trying to read much more into it to impress me…..

Next time Rebecca asks if I’ve heard from Johnny, I am telling her, “Yes, just a short text that he likes me more than you.”

And then laugh!