A few years ago I hear from my eldest away at University. He needed a calculator. There was an odd tremor in his voice as he asked. A calculator? Certainly he should not fear asking me for a calculator. What are they $30-$40 bucks?
“Well honey, they probably have them at Wal-Mart. I’ll put $50 in your account and just use your visa.”
“Uh, dad, they don’t have the one I need at Wal-Mart. I need a special one. For my math classes. It’s $172.”
Now my voice gained that same tremor.
“Ok, I’ll put $175 in your account and you go pick one up.”
Flash forward to today.
“Dad I need a calculator.” It was my youngest. But I had an answer! Ha!
“Let me guess, it’s going to be $175 bucks or so.”
“Yeah. How’d you know?”
“We already have one. I bought it for Kyle. It’s sitting in my drawer.” Ha! My foresight saves the day again. I am triumphant over the evil plans of University. “You can get it this weekend when you are home.”
Later the same day my eldest, the first spawn of my loins, calls.
“Hey dad, you remember that calculator I loaned you? I need you to send it to me.”
“You need that exact calculator or you just need a calculator? Because your brother needs that exact calculator.”
“I do too. Remember Dad, I’m taking Physics, Chemistry, Advanced Differential Equations–I can’t do it without that calculator.”
“OK, I’ll send it to you and your brother can get a new one.”
“Thanks Dad and one more thing: I could use a couple hundred bucks to get me through until I get my loan check.”
Over the years his voice has lost its tremor.
