Right Lane Must Exit

on going to Boston to see about a (college-bound) boy

We arrived at 4:30am, on zero hours of sleep. They call that a red eye but I dunno about that, guys. 4:30am when you’re coming from PST means you’re landing during your typical bedtime and even though I was able to get us an early check-in, we were still only a few hours rested before we attempted a three college tour.

I had not yet learned the lesson I would soon learn which is this: touring potential colleges is one of the more exhausting activities a parent can do with their child. That one should probably not dive into that kind of experience on two hours of sleep. (I will not make this mistake with the next kid.)

There’s a picture I have of Archer the morning we landed and he looks like he’s four years old on his first day of school. Which happens to be exactly how I felt as well. Like a little girl trying to get from point A to point B with a man who rumor has it is my child even though he towers over me and is far better than I am at direction.

“This is so exciting,” I say, nudging him against the window and he asks me how I have so much energy when we slept very little and, well, my son, one day you will understand that this is not energy, it is willpower.