The Boy completes basic training soon. i’ve had several calls, and even a couple of letters, and he’s doing very well – most importantly, he loves the challenge of the training, and is comfortable with his decision to enter the military.
During his training, i was diligently writing a couple of letters each week. He said mail call was usually a pretty relaxed part of the day, and the Drill Sergeants were starting to have more fun messing with the recruits. Postcards were read aloud, with much drama and commentary.
With a week of farting around on an island, Studley and i had a perfect opportunity to entertain the troops. Selecting two classic postcards from the resort gift shop, we set about crafting some silliness.
Card #1:
Dear Boy,
Having a good time, but the trip had a very rough start! Studley went off with a flight attendant! i was heart-broken, but the boat captain, Carlos, has been so comforting! He’s about your age, but real mature! He might end up being your next Daddy! Hope to bring him to your graduation in March!
Love,
Mom
Card #2:
Dear Boy,
Was having a good time but then your Mom left me. I went to ask this flight attendant her recommendation on where to eat, and next thing you know, your mom is leaving with a local kid, AND MY WALLET! I’m waiting on a money order so I can get home. Hope all is well with you.
Studley
When he called yesterday to sort logistics for his graduation, i asked if he’d gotten the post cards.
The Boy: Oh, yeah! That was pretty funny!
daisyfae: Did the Drill Sergeant read them out loud?
The Boy: He read the one from Studley to himself first. Read it a couple of times, and then handed it to me. Said “Seems PFC Fae has some messed up family issues at home!” He must have figured it was a joke when he saw the one from you – and he read that one out loud! It was pretty funny!
daisyfae: Mission accomplished!
Siting here listening to the new Drive-by Truckers record and reading this post, good to see that all is well in the world of Ms. Daisy…
Hi, kono! Life is indeed good for ms. daisy…Just wishing the weather would take a hike so i can get outside to play a bit more… Hope all’s well for you and the critters!
Being a “good” mother is not only about 2am feeds, doing laundry and yelling at them to “do your goddam homework!” The truly good mother continues to embarass them when they leave home…
Brilliant!
Not entirely sure he was embarrassed, but it’s not for lack of effort on my part! My two are pretty tough in that regard! It takes a lot to make them flinch, but i’ll keep the pressure on. Must keep them on their toes!
What good is the USPS these days except to mess with offspring? Continue the good work, and I hope you have the opportunity to show naked baby pictures to a potential spousal unit some day.
The letter writing has been a bit therapeutic! i’ve found myself making an effort to inform and entertain him. Pretty sure that the past few months of letter writing have been at least partially responsible for my lack of interest in blogging these days.
As a victim of the ‘naked baby picture’ (mom was ruthless!), i never really took those pics of my kids. Mostly? i trot out the halloween pictures — the ones taken before they stopped letting me handle their costumes! The year of the three Elvises (Elvii?) was my favorite!
A win on so many levels. And I suspect more than a few of the boys fellow recruits envy him his mama. If they have any sense they envy him.
He’s made a few close friends – many of the recruits are just 18, and he’s had a hard time connecting with them. There are other ‘old’ men there, and i’m looking forward to meeting them! Suspect he’s told a few tales from his childhood….
I hope he enjoyed his time. I loved basic. Now, I’m not saying my Coast Guard basic comes close to what he’s done, but it was something I’ve never experienced before. I felt reborn.
It has been transformative – as i’m sure it was for you! Being pushed to a limit, and succeeding… or being pushed to a limit and failing…. you learn a lot about yourself. He got to throw live grenades, and shoot an RPG launcher on his 25th birthday. That was way better than cake…
I…ummmmm…learned to tie some fancy knots. Came in handy that time I was dating…oh, never mind.
That is indeed a useful skill! Tis a gift! A knot that is secure, yet easy to remove…
I read this blog post to The Boy and after he stopped laughing, he asked if we were related.
lol
If nothing else, we’re in the same sorority – women who toughen up their children for whatever life is going to throw at them!
Will you be my mother?
Suspect we’d have a hard time getting you back to the womb, so let’s settle for sisters!
Wow, I’d love some of that action. Where can I send a card? 😉
He’s on his way westward! At his new station, he’ll have e-mail and phone again, so i’ll get back to harassing him through more technological means soon!
Glad he’s doing well (and you too!).
All is well! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Excellent! Who says that moms can’t have an incredibly warped sense of humor?
Fortunately, his Dad, StepMomma, and Studley share in that twistedness! We’ve had a rather festive time at graduation! Couldn’t ask for a better ex-husband! Been a tremendous experience…
Time for a postcard 419 scam, perhaps?
Damn! He’s done with basic training and drill sergeants! Why didn’t i consult you first? This would have been hysterically funny….
During WWII, Mom wrote encouraging letters to her single cousin…after not getting response, she sent a postcard: “We haven’t heard from you. The children are asking about you…” [meaning my sister and me…at 1 & 3, we didn’t care] signed it ‘heartsick and lonely.’ He wrote back, “Dear heartsick & lonely with the fringe on top”…explained that mail was being held by the censor…that her postcard had been tacked up on a base bulletin board…and that all the men who’d been anxious to fix up the tall, good-looking Jewish Dartmouth grad with their sisters were now avoiding him or giving him the stink-eye.
Ha! Suppose there are many good prospects for retaliation ahead! i suspect that your Mom’s cousin did pretty well on his own, given that sort of pedigree… and a uniform!