SURPRISES

On Tuesday afternoon, The Don told me he was thinking of taking the next day off and driving The Smart One to Chicago to catch a Cubs game. Rather, he was going to let The Smart One do most of the driving since he still needs a few hours before he (sob, gasp) goes to get his license in ten days.

The Don asked if I wanted to go and I said "Uh, no." Because I do not like to sweat. I especially do not like to sweat in the bleachers of a major league baseball game which could go on for HOURS. Then he offered to drop The Princess and me off downtown to do some shopping. Again, I said " Uh, no thanks" because I am trying to curb my shopping habit and I think The Princess would be just as happy staying home with her friends. Turns out that second part wasn't so true, but The Princess manged to fill her day with a THIRD viewing of the Harry Potter movie and general hanging out, pizza eating, and sleep-over behavior at our house.

Anyway. Tuesday evening, The Don told The Smart One of his plan and he was thrilled. See, they had no tickets. The plan was to go up and take their chances with the tickets. I think that adventure in itself was as appealing as seeing the game. I could tell The Smart One was thrilled with this adventure with his dad because, when The Don told him about it he said, "You're kidding? Cool." That constitutes elation from a 16-year-old boy.

It made me think of another Chicago surprise we pulled off when the kids were 6 and 3. We had tickets for a Bulls game and did not tell the kids until we had the suitcases at the door and were ready to leave. I have a picture of The Smart One being handed the tickets by his father. He looked at the tickets and looked up at us with the most beautiful wide-eyed, open mouthed expression a parent could hope for. I would post the picture but it's in a frame on our basement wall, and I do not want to go down and take it out of the frame. Besides there are three 13-yeard old girls asleep down there and I do NOT want to wake them. No, I do not want to wake them AT ALL. Near that picture is the picture of The Smart One throwing his arms around his daddy's waist and squeezing him in thanks for this glorious surprise. That constituted elation ten years ago.

So we got to go watch Michael Jordan peform his magic that night. Some generous banker friend of The Don's had given us these tickets in club seating, so we were pampered all evening and had delicious food, and even I sat in amazement watching the game. And of course, watching my children in their excitement.

The evening, however was a little bit of a let down for The Princess. At that time, she was quite enamored with Scotty Pippen. Scotty had an injury that week and would not be playing. When she realized what we would be doing she said "I'll see Scotty?" And we said "Scotty might be there but he won't be playing because he is hurt." So she said "Then I'm not going."

Now, she is The Princess and all but she was only 3 and we were bigger than her, so we grabbed her little suitcase and plopped her in her carseat and made her suffer through watching the greatest basketball player of all time.

Turns out, she wasn't so disappointed after all.