A few weeks ago, Grant called me in the middle of the work day.
“Dad, I want you to know that I’m doing real adulting here.”
“That’s good.”
“I went out to my car this morning and it wouldn’t start. I realized it was out of gas. Instead of calling you and f-bombing everything and having no idea what to do, I called an Uber and got a ride to the gas station. I bought a gas can, and then I ran into Coach Parker. I told him what had happened. He laughed and gave me a ride back to my apartment. I put the gas in, the car started right up, I went to the gas station and bought more gas, and then I went to class.”
“Well, okay,” I said.
“See, Dad? Adulting. Car problem. Took care of it myself. Just thought you would like to know that I didn’t make you solve that.”
“Great to know.”
Once he finished talking, I texted Lauren about the exchange. Her response?
Lauren: He ran out of gas?
Me: Yep.
Lauren: How does that happen?
Me: He told me a mission companion told him you could ride around on empty for a week.
Lauren: And he believed that?
Me: Apparently.
Lauren: OMG
Me: So is it a W that he solved it himself? Or do we take an L for raising a kid who would run out of gas?
Lauren: We take the W’s where we can get them.
His Smile Lit Up a Room and Other Things to Say at My Funeral 