Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Devotion


I received your call and knowing how much it meant to you I retrieved your precious gloves and travelled to you.

You were indistinguishable, one of hundreds of young men in camouflage. I understood that if you could have come to me you would.

I hung about for a while; tried to look unobtrusive; as if I had a good reason for being there but as a mother, I knew I stuck out as the one object that did not belong.

I returned to the car and sat and thought through my options. Every one of them returned to the fact that you relied on me; that I was obligated to solve this; to get to you.

I began to see boys older than you make their way to the waiting buses and so I moved closer to them in the vain hope that one of them might be you.

Closer to the oval again where you most likely were, I made my way up to the top of the crescent and then slightly down it.

All the boys were on their feet and lined up now and I felt my chances slipping away. Yet, I stood there with the faintest of hopes that somehow you were watching me and that something would give.

The oval felt very still to me. I wondered if this was the sort of hush that occurs before battle. The thought fleeted through my mind when I caught hold of a move in the ranks. I suddenly saw you, tall and thin as a beanpole, as handsome as all get out and as quiet as a mouse, make your way towards me. I, in turn made my way towards you.

“I can’t thank you enough,” you said.

“That’s all right.”

I desperately wanted to hug you but I knew the rules. No displays of love in school uniform and especially not in cadet gear.

“Have a good time,” I offered.

As I moved away you reached out to me and caught me with your impossibly long fingers, kissed me on the cheek and wrapped your arms around me.

“God, but I love you so much,” I said.

“I love you too, Mum. Thank you.  See you soon.”

 You walked your way and I walked mine.

They were just a set of gloves but so much more than a set of gloves.

9 comments:

  1. awesome - its what we do for them :) thank you for sharing this

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  2. lucky boy, lucky Mum.

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  3. V - so nicely written, to capture the whole thing in a moment.

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  4. Sweet story. I'm sure we'll be like that soon (ours is just 11).

    PL

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  5. My oh my, does the pride shine through? Be proud, he is a reflection of you.

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  6. kiwigirl: Ohhhhh yes, I don't think we ever stop mothering, moulding, polishing...

    David: You have me giggling. I *am* terribly proud. He came home with loads of fun/horror stories, filthy everything and a huge smile on his face. Now, he's off to the next gig!

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  7. GG: That is *exactly* right. I wanted to capture that moment for myself and put it in writing - never forget it. I thought about this yesterday as I was going about my errands - how there are single moments that encapsulate all that you adore about a person. I have a moment from 1980 with my husband. We had just come out of an apartment we were renting in the US and I looked up at him and he was smiling widely and he looked so full of youthful Aussie dash. He looked ruggedly handsome and for some reason that moment has always stayed with me. I have moments for all the children - the moment one son opened a show with the most extraordinary move holding up his body horizontally with one arm. I had no idea he was *that* good and I just glowed with pride. For my first son they tend to be his moments of glory on the sporting field because that meant so much to him and therefore it meant a lot to me - a winning row, the soccer goal that won his team glory... With my daughter living on the other side of the world for now, my moments are tied up with her music - I stop and think of her whenever I hear a flute played divinely, or a pretty guitar composition. All very special moments!

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  8. PL and Sir J: Sorry, my computer after 2 years of having this site is suddenly sending some comments to the 'spam' folder.

    Children can drive you *nuts* at times, but at the end of the day, they are our greatest gifts and bring the best rewards.

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  9. I think this may be one of my favorites out of all your marvelous writing. And you got a hug in front of a bunch of other teenage boys! Wow! How great is that!!!

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