can spend more quality
time with him, right?” Mary replied.
Two weeks later, Mary
walked with Christopher to meet the bus in the morning after Joe left
for work. They stood and waited on the little wooden bridge at the
end of the driveway until the bus arrived. Mary gave Christopher a
big hug and a kiss on the cheek before he boarded and was off to
experience his first day at his new school.
Later that afternoon,
Mary returned to the bridge to wait for Christopher’s bus to
arrive. She did this each school day afternoon. She always greeted
Christopher with a similar hug and kiss on the cheek. She made her
dinner preparations while Christopher was at school so she could help
him with his homework until Joe came home each night. Mary and
Christopher grew closer with each passing day.
After dinner each
night, Christopher would finish any remaining homework, then go
upstairs to his hideaway to work on puzzles. This left Joe and Mary
alone together for some time to themselves. Weekends were family time
together. Joe always seemed to find something everyone would enjoy.
There were state fairs, carnivals, picnics at the beach, drive-in
movies, and baseball games. Joe was never at a loss for something to
make their weekends special.
Days turned into weeks,
weeks into months, and months into years. These were wonderful years.
Joe and Mary watched as Christopher grew with each passing day. He
matured so quickly. As it turned out, Mrs. Albright was right on the
money when she predicted Christopher would graduate from high school
when he was only twelve. Even before his twelfth birthday, offers
were rolling in from colleges and universities all over the country.
And not just any schools, but offers came from the best. He received
letters from West Point, Notre Dame, MIT, Harvard, and Yale, just to
mention a few. It was no surprise. He was a straight A student with
an IQ practically off the scale. He also had a near photographic
memory. Yet with all this, he was still a humble and somewhat quiet
person, with a strong set of morals. Joe and Mary made sure of that.
“Mom?” Christopher
looked up from his desk as Mary entered his upstairs room. Joe had
turned into a combination bedroom and study over the years. “Can
you help me?”
“Sure, Christopher.
What is it?” Mary responded.
“Well, all these
offers from the different schools are all so nice. They all offer to
give me a private room and all my books and study materials free.
It’s so hard to decide which would be best for me. None of them is
anywhere near here. If there were one near, I’d choose that one so
I could be close to home.”
This was the first time
Mary saw Christopher confused about what to do. The thought of
Christopher being away at school probably bothered Mary more than it
did Christopher, but she would never let it show.
“Well, I think the
best way to choose would be to first decide what it is that you want
to do, then just choose the school that can best help you reach your
goals.”
“You know, Mom,
people keep telling me how smart I am. I just hope someday I can be
as smart as you.”
Mary put her arms
around Christopher and held him close. “I love you Christopher,”
Mary said as an unseen tear rolled down her cheek. After a few
moments Mary stood up. “I’ll leave you alone for a while. It
looks like you’ve got some thinking to do. I’m going to make some
popcorn for your dad and I. Would you like some?”
“Sure, Mom.”
Christopher paused, “and Mom?” Mary, already heading for the
stairs, stopped and turned around. “Thanks.”
“I’ll bring the
popcorn up when it’s ready,” Mary said as she entered the stairs,
stopping again briefly to look back at Christopher. “You’re
welcome, honey.”
“Mom, Dad,”
Christopher stood halfway between the hallway and the couch where Joe
and Mary were sitting watching television. “I’ve decided what I
want to do, and where I’m going to go to school.”
Joe got up from
time with him, right?” Mary replied.
Two weeks later, Mary
walked with Christopher to meet the bus in the morning after Joe left
for work. They stood and waited on the little wooden bridge at the
end of the driveway until the bus arrived. Mary gave Christopher a
big hug and a kiss on the cheek before he boarded and was off to
experience his first day at his new school.
Later that afternoon,
Mary returned to the bridge to wait for Christopher’s bus to
arrive. She did this each school day afternoon. She always greeted
Christopher with a similar hug and kiss on the cheek. She made her
dinner preparations while Christopher was at school so she could help
him with his homework until Joe came home each night. Mary and
Christopher grew closer with each passing day.
After dinner each
night, Christopher would finish any remaining homework, then go
upstairs to his hideaway to work on puzzles. This left Joe and Mary
alone together for some time to themselves. Weekends were family time
together. Joe always seemed to find something everyone would enjoy.
There were state fairs, carnivals, picnics at the beach, drive-in
movies, and baseball games. Joe was never at a loss for something to
make their weekends special.
Days turned into weeks,
weeks into months, and months into years. These were wonderful years.
Joe and Mary watched as Christopher grew with each passing day. He
matured so quickly. As it turned out, Mrs. Albright was right on the
money when she predicted Christopher would graduate from high school
when he was only twelve. Even before his twelfth birthday, offers
were rolling in from colleges and universities all over the country.
And not just any schools, but offers came from the best. He received
letters from West Point, Notre Dame, MIT, Harvard, and Yale, just to
mention a few. It was no surprise. He was a straight A student with
an IQ practically off the scale. He also had a near photographic
memory. Yet with all this, he was still a humble and somewhat quiet
person, with a strong set of morals. Joe and Mary made sure of that.
“Mom?” Christopher
looked up from his desk as Mary entered his upstairs room. Joe had
turned into a combination bedroom and study over the years. “Can
you help me?”
“Sure, Christopher.
What is it?” Mary responded.
“Well, all these
offers from the different schools are all so nice. They all offer to
give me a private room and all my books and study materials free.
It’s so hard to decide which would be best for me. None of them is
anywhere near here. If there were one near, I’d choose that one so
I could be close to home.”
This was the first time
Mary saw Christopher confused about what to do. The thought of
Christopher being away at school probably bothered Mary more than it
did Christopher, but she would never let it show.
“Well, I think the
best way to choose would be to first decide what it is that you want
to do, then just choose the school that can best help you reach your
goals.”
“You know, Mom,
people keep telling me how smart I am. I just hope someday I can be
as smart as you.”
Mary put her arms
around Christopher and held him close. “I love you Christopher,”
Mary said as an unseen tear rolled down her cheek. After a few
moments Mary stood up. “I’ll leave you alone for a while. It
looks like you’ve got some thinking to do. I’m going to make some
popcorn for your dad and I. Would you like some?”
“Sure, Mom.”
Christopher paused, “and Mom?” Mary, already heading for the
stairs, stopped and turned around. “Thanks.”
“I’ll bring the
popcorn up when it’s ready,” Mary said as she entered the stairs,
stopping again briefly to look back at Christopher. “You’re
welcome, honey.”
“Mom, Dad,”
Christopher stood halfway between the hallway and the couch where Joe
and Mary were sitting watching television. “I’ve decided what I
want to do, and where I’m going to go to school.”
Joe got up from
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