I was walking across town last night (after attending Jess’ 30th birthday party – at a great place called Grass Roots on St. Mark’s Place – Fun! Dart boards, creaky wooden floors, an absolutely harassed bartender, and the famous “Hot Bouncer” – it was a great time) and I looked at my phone, saw that I had 1 message. So I called my voice mail.
At first, I didn’t understand who was calling me. I thought I heard the word “Brooke” – which is the name of a good friend of mine – but if it was Brooke calling me, then she sounded like she was reaaaalllly upset, or something – the voice was very very small, so maybe she was out of breath? From crying? Or … oh my God – was Brooke calling me in a state of emergency or something? Then I heard the small voice (which kept talking) say at the very end of the message: “This is Cashel.”
At the sound of his name, my heart LEAPT with excitement! I love hearing his voice on the phone. It’s so funny. So sweet. His personality is so enormous, but his voice on the phone sounds so teeny. I love him.
As a small update on our writing project (you know – our book on “nature and storms”):
About a week and a half ago, I got started on the book he asked me to write. I bought him two huge books – one on “weather” and one on “nature” – with great pictures of flowing lava, and swirling typhoon clouds, and pictures of cracked desert earth. Cashel’s 7, and these books were maybe a bit more advanced, but I think he’s ready for it. (After all, he wants me to include “tuberculosis” in the book. I think he can handle conversations about “geology” and water tables.) He can grow into the books. There are maps in the book, and satellite photos, and explanations of how tectonic plates shift … etc. So I thought these would be good books for him to have. Not just for our project, but in general.
I also did my first illustration for the book. Or maybe it’s the cover art. We’ll see. It was so fun – I set up my watercolors in the kitchen, and did some sketches, and then went to town. The painting is of a small blonde boy standing in the foreground, staring at a massive lightning storm going on in the distance. The sky is a swirling purply black, and the lightning gleams out white.
I put all of this in a package and sent it off to him. With a note from his Auntie Sheila. (I hope even when he’s 18, he still calls me “Auntie Sheila”.)
I didn’t hear anything for a bit, but then my mother told me that she talked to Maria for awhile and the package did, indeed, arrive. (It’s the giving of gifts that is really THE thing in life. I was as excited as a little kid to put this package in the mail to my wee nephew.) Cashel was very excited, and was poring over one of the books, and apparently he started looking at a map – maybe of Australia? And he noticed on the map that there was something called “Fraser Island”, and this excited him SO MUCH because his best friend down the street is named “Fraser”. He took “the book from Auntie Sheila” and ran down to Fraser’s house – SO EXCITED to show his friend that there was an island named after him.
Why does this bring tears to my eyes?
It’s just so sweet. I love him, that’s all.
So last night came the “thank you” call, which, sadly, I missed. I have already listened to it three times. It’s so adorable.
Here’s what I hear – the undercurrent of it, I mean:
Obviously, he didn’t just pick up the phone and dial my number himself. Maria said, “Okay, let’s call Auntie Sheila and thank her for the gifts.” So he was pretty much obeying orders at the beginning of the call. Maria probably said: “Just tell her it was really nice of her, and thank her for the book.”
So the BEGINNING of the message is a bit rote, he’s just saying his lines (and this is why he didn’t tell me who he was until the END of the message – because he basically just launched into his pre-planned script immediately – Maria hadn’t said to him: “Say to her, Hi Auntie Sheila, this is Cashel…” ). But THEN … after he gets the script out of the way, he can’t help but add his own sentiments. I can hear the change in his voice when that happens.
The message goes something like: “Thank you for the books, Auntie Sheila. It was very nice of you.” (this is obviously the script part. Then comes…a change of tone.) “The books are … reaaallly cool. Really cool.” (haha So cute. ) Then he says: “Oh. This is Cashel. Bye.” And he hangs up.
This was the best. phone message. EVER.
Sheila,
so right about the ‘script’ part (hopelessly dull plesantries supplied like overbearing parents like me), and the ensuing free-form ‘actual’ feelings, the genuine stuff; not remotely thought out and expotentially more wonderful!
Ha! I guess you have to learn the script part by heart – and once you know your lines by heart, and don’t need prompting, this is what we would call “good manners”
So Cashel is learning the script. But then when he said “reaaallly cool” and then repeated it: “Really. Cool” I could hear how he FELT.
My brother’s son Ryan is nine and I always think about my relationship with him when you talk about Cashel. Ryan calls me up to see how I’m doing on “Star Wars: Battlefront” for PS2, which he loaned me upon beating the game himself. He ignores my admission that I’m still figuring out how to target the enemy, much less making real progress in the game. Then he launches into a series of cheats and strategies that I’m light years away from using effectively. His calls are some of the coolest surprises I get.
popskull:
isn’t it awesome when they launch into unsolicited monologues>??
By the way, today is Synge’s birthday – I am working on a monster-post, and it’s all for you!!! Look for it later today.
I love your posts about Cashel! They make me cry. In a good way. And I hadn’t thought about that you’re “Auntie Sheila” until this post, but that’s MY mostest, most wonderfullest, most favoritest aunt, too! Here’s to all the Auntie Sheilas out there, especially you, dear.
A Bird in the Plan
Hulk smash, dude. Also, Hulk check out cute girls in springy little jiggly tops, but you didnât hear it from me.