Finding Parker

I think the words "junior high" must come from some obscure language where it means "contradictions". At least that's what I've experienced in raising a junior high boy.
He turns 13 in a month...and suddenly he doesn't use our bathroom anymore. He uses the front bathroom (which actually locks and has a solid shower curtain instead of a glass door). He obsesses about his hair and his clothes. But he almost never remembers to brush his teeth.
He isn't afraid to stay home alone..even when it's dark.
But he read Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go" yesterday and declared it the best book ever.
Friday night was homecoming, and we all went to the football game. Parker carried my chair for me. When I told him how nice that was he replied, "Well, I want to know where you're sitting." The strength of a man and the insecurity of a boy.
He left with a group of boys and a frisbee and I didn't see him again for a long time.
When it was time for me to go (which was immediately after the half-time show where Hillary led the band in it's first "moving" field show ever!) I started looking for him. I saw some guys down at the end of the field, throwing a football and running around. I strained my eyes, but I couldn't make out which one was him. I folded my chair up and continued looking around. There were some old people to my right...and a group of teenagers sitting right behind me. That's when it hit me.
Those teenagers weren't teenagers at all! They were Parker and his friends! There he sat, shoulder to shoulder with a cute blonde girl, surrounded by several other guys and girls...looking and acting cool.
I nonchalantly nodded to him. "I'm leaving." "Ok." "Don't let dad leave you." "I won't"
It was all I could do not to take a picture.
But his nervous smile clearly said, "Please be cool."
So I was.
Until I got in the car.
Then I laughed a little and tried not to get a tear in my eye.