The boy has gone to Africa and left the wailing fool behind.

Teenwolf has gone off to South Africa. Yup far away on another continent for 2 whole weeks. Calm? Well not calm more resigned. It is a rugby tour and that is the part that gives me the clenches.

Huge South African rugby monsters bearing down on my wee Teenwolf gives me the shivers. For Gods sake Mum! is the expression that can be heard cannoning round the walls of our home as I come out with another of my tips and statements.

‘Don’t get squashed, dragged or  broken’

‘The Police have guns.’

‘Drink lots of water but not the water from the tap. But don’t get dehydrated’

‘Check the bus looks safe’

And so it goes on. The paranoia and inability to ‘back off’ is in evidence I realise this. So I bit my tongue. My reward? I was allowed to hug him before her went – though not outside the house and certainly not at the airport.  Our farewell had to take place inside in the hall.  So all I said with my grin in place – albeit shaky at the edges – was ‘Keep in touch’.

Girding myself for a phone call half way through his trip  when he runs out of clean knickers my heart soared as a text pinged in from him. Oh he’s realised that not seeing me for 2 weeks may have an impact on his life. It read ‘Did I leave my ipod charging in the kitchen?’

On investigation the ipod has been  found on the passenger seat of the long suffering husbands car – the one who was permitted to drop him at the airport. I texted back. We are currently in radio silence. He is flying to London as I write. Without me. Yes I know he is 16 but….but…..but….I am his mother.

So having spent the past 6 months building up a massive collection of music on his Ipod – for psyching themselves for matches etc. this is hideous blow. I understand completely. If I had had to go anywhere without my – count the years – ‘Sony Walkman – yes the cassette player with giant headphones and my Sister Sledge and Iggy Pop medley – I  would have been gutted too. So much as my sympathy is with him – with a courier quoting £45 to deliver it – it seems he will have to take up Yoga and get on with it.

Yup I am all heart.

Clenched but realising I have two weeks of not cooking 53 stone of food every 3 hours. What can I get up to? No let’s see…………………

AlisonsDiary

Writer & broadcaster.

Related Posts

Read also x