Inside voice

This past weekend, like any typical summer weekend, was spent enjoying the outdoors. Bike rides, cooling off at the town pool, heading to the playground, and ending with a cone of ice cream were some of the activities that made for a fun Saturday. With the summer half way over, no one wants to spend time indoors. 


On Sunday my wife and I thought it would be nice for our son to call a friend to spend some time with. Our son is always hesitant to make the initial call and after a lot of nudging and pleading to no avail, my wife decides to make the first call. My wife picks out a friend from the class list and dials the phone. The moms say their Hello's, and after filling in each other on their summer, and a some talk about the boy's upcoming class assignments, my wife inquires about the boys hanging out together. We find out that the friend is nursing an ailing foot, bummed to be housebound, and could use a friend to cheer him up. My wife turns to my son, who smiles at the idea of visiting his friend who needs company. 


We drive up the road and find their house number. My son opens the car door and grabs his bag filled with baseball cards, and other activities as we head to the front door. I ring the bell and we are welcomed in. My son sees his friend sitting on the couch, one foot bandaged and elevated on top of a pillow, but quickly perks up at the sight of a friendly face. My son walks over and sits next to him and finds out the details of the injury, then the two of them begin to plan out their afternoon, first a card trading deal session, then lunch, then top it off with a little Xbox. I make arraignments for the pick up and leave the boys to themselves.


Summer fun can be filled with many outdoor activities, but spending time indoors with a friend in need can be just what the doctor ordered.