Elgan speaks
...and her words thunder across the land

Show me the boy...

Sunday, Jul. 8, 2007
6:04 p.m.
Remember the movie Amarcord by Fellini? Remember how it began and how it ended? It was in the spring and the milkweeds or other fluff-producing vegetation had released their seeds into the air, and little bits of white fluff were flying all over. It’s doing that here today. I looked out onto the backyard from the kitchen and for a moment I thought it was snowing.

Buddy Boy had a less-than 24-hour day off from his job at the ESL camp. I picked him up yesterday around 6:30 p.m. after the campers had finished their supper and brought him home, stopping at the bank so he could deposit the first installment of his pay. He was sniffling and sneezing somewhat and today was actually feverish. So he slept for most of the day and was feeling much better when it was time to return him for 5:00 p.m., his knapsack loaded with freshly-laundered underwear and socks. He has one other day off, but that’s when the campers are going to La Ronde, the amusement park in Montreal, and he doesn’t want to miss out on a free trip. So we shan’t see him again for two weeks. Sigh.

It’s amazing how being responsible for others matures a guy. This is one of those character-building experiences they talk about. He admitted that he feels much more grown up now. Besides being responsible for a group of kids and to make sure that they don’t speak any French (English only or they are penalized), he is also teaching guitar and karate, two things he’s good at, and soccer, something he’s never done himself. He really didn’t want to go back, probably because he wasn’t feeling all that well. But he’s a good kid. I’m so proud of him.

|

<~~~ * ~~~>