I'd Punch all the Blood out of 'Im

On the first day of September, it was cold. As if by cue.

“Is that really how it happens?” Puck asked. “It turns September and then it gets cold?”

“Sometimes.”

You never know in St. Louis.

It was early afternoon. Yali and I went shopping with Carrie-Bri in the Valley for a few gifts. The good thing about shopping with Carrie or Rose is that shopping is pretty snappy. In, and out. My kind of shopping excursion. We hit three places in about half an hour, and back on the road with a package of those new Reese’s pieces peanut butter cups I’ve been wanting to try for months.

Six kids tore around the playground after three o’clock. Five of them took turns “fighting” over the little cocoa bean, as Mom likes to call him. Taking turns bringing him to the drinking fountain, while he tried out all his super hero poses (and sometimes illegal punches and kicks) on them.

“Give me the baby!” Heidi ordered occasionally.

Everyone knows she has dibs.

About an hour later, I looked at my boys in the rearview mirror as we hit traffic on Page. The windows were rolled down and their playlist was blasting “The Final Countdown” and “Forever Young”, and all the other songs they like to listen to.

At one point, Puck turned to his brother and yelled at him over the wind of the highway, “YALI, IF ANYONE EVER TRIED TO KIDNAP YOU, I’D PUNCH ALL THE BLOOD OUT OF ‘IM!”

Then he patted him softly on his head as an added measure of reassurance. I think that’s one reason this little guy is so fearless. He knows he has a big brother who would do anything to protect him.

Back to School Night. I took a seat at Puck’s desk to read the note he had left for me, which went something like this:

“dear mom and dad I just hope you now that I like TRASH CANS!! … I go dumter diving every day I mean what cood go rong. by the way sorry about the spelling. … Love gus PS hope you have a great week!”

I love that kid.