On the Checklist

11:30, waiting in a crowded Lake St. Louis pediatrician’s office for Puck’s back-to-school physical. He watched a muted animated film about bees in the corner of the ceiling while we sat. A young mom in a white sun dress fed her three year-old daughter sips of Mountain Dew. Her husband offered a Monster energy drink to their son.

“Don’t give him that!” she scolded.

Puck came out on the other side with a thumbs-up on the health, one inch gained since April, and an orange safety sucker. He also left apparently extremely impressed with his own eyesight.

“I can’t believe how well I see!”

Mom and Carrie-Bri were waiting for us at the Big House. A last summer Wednesday inspired thoughts of McDonald’s for lunch and the park. My staple fish sandwich, even though that’s about the only thing I eat there.

Wrapping up lunch, we realized that the lady Puck had been talking to on the playground was one of the old home school moms. So they caught up on life for an extended period of time, including her second son almost signing with the Cardinals in June, etc.

Mom napped, Francis napped, Puck Mine-crafted, Carrie painted my nails into neon yellow claws. Sounds worse than it looks. And Rose texted me about how someone had mysteriously cut out some of her hair. No explanation whatsoever.

When Francis finally woke from his snooze, Mom was the victim of his next request.

“Could someone bring me a popsicle? To aid me in my time of need?”

“To aid you in your time of need,” Mom scoffed.

Then brought him a popsicle anyway. What else can a mom do?

El Oso picked up Puck for his dental appointment at 6:30. Trying to cram in this stuff before school. He returned in a brand new, very blue, “Member Cavity Free Club” t-shirt.

Then Carrie and I continued our running commentary on the game.

“Masty looks like a ballerina when he pitches,” Carrie wrote me. “I want Kelly back.”