Christmas Eve is my favorite part of Christmas. Sometimes, when we go to my parents' place, it's the first big festive meal we have together with everyone there. This year, we'd already been together a few days, but it was still pretty festive. We were in the middle of the preparations. It was dark outside and cold, just before seven o'clock. And the doorbell rang.
You guessed it.
It was their middle son. "I came home," he said. "And my mom's not here. I don't know where everyone is and I don't have the key."
So he came over to our house to drink juice and watch cartoons with Jack while we waited for his family to return from wherever they were. My mom was setting the table and she laid an extra place for him, just in case he ended up staying for dinner.
I was livid.
We had no idea where they were, when they would be home, if they would be home, and he did not know his mother's cell phone number. He didn't have it written down anywhere either.
"Where were you today?" I asked him, and he told me he'd been into town to meet some friends. We live two and a half kilometers from town, so it's within walking distance, but still. It was cold. And it was Christmas Eve! Are they so busy they can't pick their kid up every so often? Or at least make it home in time to be there for him?
They returned about forty-five minutes later and I went over to speak with them before their son came out. I was somewhat restrained considering how upset I was that they would let their kid come home to an empty house like that on Christmas Eve. But I must have surprised them. They just stared at me and said nothing. Usually, I am pretty diplomatic. So they were probably not expecting me to tell them I thought it was shameful how poorly they treat him. I think I repeated shameful (vergognoso) a few times at the end. You know, for effect. But I doubt I made much of an impact. Although it would have been nice to put some sense into them so they might take more of an interest in their son. Or at least pick him up from school every so often and not leave him alone at home so often while the rest of the family is out together.
When my little tirade was over, they told me to send him home, and so I did. In all honesty, I was relieved he wouldn't be staying for dinner. He is a little weird. But still, I felt sad for him, and wondered what he would have done if we hadn't been there.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
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6 commenti:
your neighbors suck...big time! you guys are probably more dependable to him than his own parents! poor thing.
Yeah, in all honesty I think the kid is lucky to have you. Hope you had a lovely Christmas otherwise.
Your neighbors are awful, there are hardly words to describe the pain they cause their child. On the other hand your acts are truly great on Christmas eve.
You are quite possibly the brightest light in that poor child's life. Years from now, I'm sure he will remember you & your family fondly.... I only hope he'll feel the same way about his own.
You are quite possibly the brightest light in that poor child's life. Years from now, I'm sure he will remember you & your family fondly.... I only hope he'll feel the same way about his own.
Very sad. Maybe you should request his mom's cell number and keep it handy in the future. It sounds like you may need it.
And I guess (I'm sorry this sounds preachy/ hypercritical. I probably would have done the same thing as you, so please bear that in mind.) from an outside perspective, maybe it would have been more in the spirit of Xmas to pretend for the kid's sake that he was welcome at your table, even if he is weird. Since he's obviously not important to his own family.
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