Some Days

My sister took Aaron to a movie today, a belated birthday gift. She took him to lunch, he chose the movie, he changed his mind, she acquiesced, everything should have gone well.  Scratch that - everything did go well.  But my sister had told him that if the movie finished early enough that they would go back to her place and play some video games.  If you've been reading these regularly or happen to know us personally, you probably know what's coming; Aaron would rather have played video games at my sister's than anything else.

Not that he didn't enjoy himself, because he did.  What he took no concern in is the possibility that there might not be time to do both.  And he was miffed.  Not that you would have noticed until later.  We met up at Mom's place because my Aunt and Uncle were back for a night and we all had dinner there.  He was alright, seemed a bit tired, but otherwise fine.  After dinner my sister and her husband (just had to add emphasis because it's the first time I really could) left.  That's when it all went downhill.

Aaron didn't come to me with it of course because I have never been good at sympathizing with the loss of video game time.  He went to Geoff.  Now I'm not sure what started it or kept it going, but Aaron was in a super bad mood by the time we were ready to leave.  We packed up Hunter, and I do mean Hunter, not his things, and headed for the car.  Aaron dawdled and hid and was just being difficult. 

Geoff took Aaron in his car and I had no real idea until we got home (to our still tidy house!) what the problem was.  But I began to remember my conversation with my sister. Geoff drove up, he came in, I already had Hunter in the house - no Aaron.  Geoff brought the lawn chairs into the garage and asked if Aaron had come in.  No, he hadn't.  So we watched covertly while Aaron dawdled on the driveway... slowly nearing the front door.  Geoff went out.  Aaron ran away.   Geoff came back in.  "Man, he's stubborn! He's just like me!" "Uh-huh" I said as I walked by.  He is.

Then Aaron came up to the door, slowly turned the knob and peeked in.  He saw me first and I saw his smile but he held his head down and went into the garage.  I turned to Geoff and said "The light isn't on in there" and we waited.  Not quite a minute later the door opened and a hand came out against the wall, found the switch and flicked it on.  He stood with the door open so I was quiet.  Then it shut.  "He turned it on" I told Geoff.   And we waited.

Eventually he came in and made his way upstairs.  Geoff and I were both in the living room and Aaron flopped down on the ottoman and sighed.  I went to the kitchen.  Geoff was quiet.  Then Aaron asked what Geoff was doing.  And things were okay for a little bit.  I came out to write.  I thought I heard Geoff saying something in a frustrated tone and when he joined me I asked if they were scrapping. "Oh yeah" he grumbled.  "About what?" I asked, just to be sure; "Frickin' video games".

Now, once again, I'm faced with this: if he wanted to play the piano all the time would I be holding out?  Of course not - but maybe, depends on what that sounded like I guess.   It's not like he doesn't have any games.  He doesn't have the one that my sister has though.  Should she have spent the afternoon playing video games with him instead?  I have to wonder if that was like our idea of a "treat" being Chucky Cheese and the kids having way more fun at the park. 

At first he was all excited about the movie but once she mentioned the video game that he doesn't get to play all that often... well maybe they should have changed their plans.  He probably would have had a completely enjoyable afternoon.  Not that either of us thought of that.  I guess I will have to bring him out there one rainy day (because that's the only time he's allowed to play them during the summer) and let them play.  So we can both make up for it.  Yeesh.  And I'm going to go have a talk with my son and make sure he knows that Auntie Errin would have played games with him if she had known that's what he wanted to do.  Because that will make him feel better.