The Lunchbox Story

The only thing I send with my son each day to summer camp is a packed lunch and 2 additional snacks. There's no need for a backpack, so his lunchbox has become the communication center between the teachers and I.

Each day, before we leave the parking lot, I open his lunchbox to check for notes, permission slips, and weekly payment receipts. Occasionally there's a leftover snack, or a folded piece of art, but one day last week there was a surprise just for me.

We had pulled out of the lot and made it to the stoplight before I realized I hadn't checked the lunchbox. I reached behind the drivers seat to retrieve it off the floor of the car, and Mr. 5 year old is adamently telling me to not open it. I assume at this point that he's gotten some sort of discipline note, which is not unusual since he's a boy and boys get into trouble.

The light turns green so I take the opportunity to ask if there's anything he wants to tell me about his day. Again, assuming he has gotten himself into some sort of trouble, and allowing him the opportunity to come clean. "No mom. I had a splendid day. " Yes, his exact words. "Ok so why can't I open your lunchbox?" and he replies, "I just don't want you to." Mmmhmm. Smells like trouble.

I approach the next stoplight and again reach for the lunchbox and start to unzip it. Before I can get the zipper around the first corner of the box, something jumps out and lands on my chest. I look down and scream a million dollar movie scream. In the process of the scream, I scared the something, and it jumped somewhere else in the car.

I am panicking in the middle of traffic trying to process what just happened. "What was that? Tell me right now what just jumped out of your lunchbox!" "Oh mom that's just my cricket." I am shaking and trying to compose my thoughts. "Why was there a cricket in your lunchbox?" "I'm going to keep him because he's so cute." I'm at a loss for trying to have this conversation while a giant live cricket is roaming somewhere in the car.

Boys.

2 comments:

Erica Wagner said...

Oh, yeah... glad I have girls. The only thing I find random in the car is glitter lip balm.

Mrs. C. said...

That is HYSTERICAL!!!:) I could so seeing you screaming in your car!!!:)