This past
Friday was Aaron’s birthday – his number 29, to be exact. That seems so strange to me, thinking that
next year he’ll be 30 years old! He
loves his birthday, and weeks before the big day he’s already planning it. Well, planning where to eat, most of all………..and
then talking about gift ideas. For a
long time he wanted to go to Cracker Barrel for dinner, which would be the
third year in a row. But one day a few
weeks ago he said, “Mom, I decided I want to go to that Mexican restaurant.” I asked him which one and he answered, “You
know, the one with those Mexican dancers.”
Mexican dancers? I was trying to
remember where on earth we had been that he had seen Mexican dancers……..and how
I could have missed the Mexican dancers………when it hit me.
“Aaron, do
you mean Texas Roadhouse?” I asked
him. “Yeah,” he replied. “You remember those Mexican dancers there?” I proceeded to explain the difference in
Mexican and cowboy, wondering where he got the Mexican theme from other than an
old cowboy movie filmed near Mexico.
Anyway, we got that figured out and so Texas Roadhouse it was.
Of course,
Aaron wanted Rosie and her mom and dad to come.
And he invited staff from Paradigm, so Misty got to be there as
well. He’s so funny, planning and
talking and looking forward to his special day so much. But when the day is finally here, he really
doesn’t seem all that excited. He gives
a little embarrassed chuckle at all the “Happy Birthday, Aaron!” greetings, or
a quick smile as he ducks his head and walks away. He tolerates the annual birthday picture with
our traditional birthday banner. It’s
like he wants to check things off his “My Birthday Is Finally Here” list……and
then just get on with normal life. When
he walked in the door after getting home from Paradigm, he saw the wrapped
gifts and the cards laying on the table, but he didn’t even act like he noticed
them.
He talked
for a few minutes about his day, and then told me to come and get him when it
was time to leave for Texas Roadhouse.
Soon he was on his computer, unwinding and returning to his world for a
few minutes. He got off happily when it
was time to go, the thoughts of restaurant food making him willing to leave his
game. It was a nice evening full of
juggling conversation and food with him and with Rosie, and us adults fitting
in some words whenever we could. I loved
watching him and Rosie sitting beside each other, across from me, and enjoying
their friendship……..done their way.
I was
reminded of what Aaron said to me a few days earlier about a conversation he
had with one of his staff. “I asked
Andrew why Rosie likes me. He said she
doesn’t talk to many people but she likes to talk to me.” I told him that was very nice and so he
continued, “But that makes me embarrassed……….like………married?” He thought for a minute and then finished by
saying, “I’m not a person to marry.”
Dear Aaron,
always worried about this marriage thing.
I assured him that being special friends doesn’t mean marriage, and now
as he sat beside Rosie during his birthday dinner I was just happy to see them
being who they are. This means that they
didn’t talk much to each other at all.
Aaron was busy stuffing as many rolls in his mouth as he could muster
after being sure I had spread the PLAIN butter on them from edge to edge, and
being sure I scraped ALL the ranch dressing out of the little container for his
salad, and eating peanuts during each free moment, and talking as much as he
possibly could. Rosie was coloring some
with her nice colored pencils that she loves, and holding the pencils when not
coloring, and reminding first Misty and then her Mom to tell about this and
tell about that.
Rosie was
excited to give Aaron his gift, and typical Aaron didn’t act near as excited to
receive it. He opened the gifts from
Rosie and from Misty, and he sort of said thanks, but he had rolls to eat and
chicken critters to chew on……..and opening gifts, while fun, means he has to do
that embarrassing thank you, after all.
Deep down he’s pleased with gifts, but he wants to keep those emotions
deep down and not put them out there for all to see.
I loved it
when I told Rosie and Aaron that I wanted to take their picture together, and
immediately Rosie put her arm around Aaron.
She did that last year, too. It’s
just so genuine and real……..and is something Aaron would not do. Soon it was time to go, and Aaron barely said
goodbye or thanks to anyone. He was off
to his next assignment that needed to be checked off his list………opening
presents at home. He got through that in
good order, moving from one to the other with little emotion but definitely
taking it all in. Gary and I laughed at
the funny cards, but we had to make Aaron stop to fully read them and to notice
how comical they were. He was moving
from point A to point B to point C……….enjoying the cards and the gifts but
definitely nearing overload. We made
sure he reopened Rosie’s and Misty’s gifts and cards so he could realize what
they were all about. Soon, though, he
was off to his room. No time or desire
to sit there and linger over some nice conversation with Mom and Dad, and too
full for any of the apple pie I had made him.
He got into
his pajamas as quickly as he could, and immersed himself in his game before
thumping downstairs a few times to talk awhile.
His weekend was nice as well, with a little shopping, a little pizza, a
little apple pie, a little time with Mom and Dad and Jackson, and just life as
Aaron likes it.
I went in
his room on Saturday night to say it was time for bed and time for me to take
his keyboard. He was just finishing up
his new movie that he got for his birthday…….Pacific Rim. A few minutes later I stuck my head back in
his room and was not at all surprised to see him completely absorbed in watching
the credits. I’ve told about how he
watches movies from the very beginning to the very end. The very, very end with the picture of the
lion and the minuscule print.
This is
another part of life as Aaron likes it, so I just smiled and walked away until
the movie…….in Aaron’s opinion…….was totally over. Nothing new here.
Well, this
morning there was something new. Aaron
has been getting up early in the mornings, but today he slept until a little
after 8:00. As we were getting ready to
leave later to meet his group, Aaron said, “Mom, today I got up at 8:06………which
was new!”
That, to
Aaron, is indeed something new under the sun and worth noting.
And that, to
me, is something to be expected and worthy of a smile.
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