Right Back

I have a son. He is grown and gone from the nest. Thank goodness! He still lives in the same town, so I see him more than I would if he were far away.

Occasionally I think up some little something that he has the talent and expertise to do for me. The problem is catching him and keeping him long enough to get any of those items accomplished. He is well practiced at escaping. As soon as I come up with a plan and spell it out, he starts squirming around and checking for the time. Then he announces: 'I'll be right back'. I know better. He is about to flee for his life. He makes an exit on some important concocted mission and 'poof' he is gone.

I've caught on by now. He really won't be right back. In fact, he won't be back for several days, and he will think I've forgotten that little thing I wanted him to do. He is wrong. I don't forget.

Sometimes when I see him coming, I just smile and say, 'Well, hello Right Back.' That lets him know that I have his number, and he just smiles. I know that one fine day he will decide to do that little helpful something. In the meantime, I go on calling him Right Back.

One day he awakens and decides that he is ready to get on with my little project. He calls and announces that he will be over. His voice indicates he is upbeat and all about business. Whatever my little project, it is about to be handled. Nine out of ten times, he will have elected to appear on a day that I'm up to my eyebrows in other things. Of course, I've carried on so about what I need done, that I don't dare say that it isn't convenient. I know that it may be another full month of Sundays before he will 'feel' like it again.

Therefore, I try to sound casual as I tell him that I'd love for him to come and get my little project done. It also seems important to let him pretend that the whole thing is his idea. I don't really care. If it works for him, it can work for me. I only care about the outcome.

If I'm lucky, Son will come with everything that is needed for the project. I'm not always lucky. Sometimes he arrives to assess the situation and decides that more of this or that is needed before he can start. Then he must run somewhere to fetch something and (you guessed it) he will be right back.

In Right Back's defense, I will say that he has done a number of things for me that I just couldn't do. He is busy and spare time is precious time. I'm fortunate that he is knowledgeable enough about fixing things to help when he can. I really can count on him, and I know that sooner or later, he'll be right back.