The Adventures of Brandon, The Oblivious Teenager

Part 1: Lessons In Laundry

I don't like having anything hanging over me on days off. Time off is precious and fiercely guarded. So when I come home from working the swing shift, I'm not going to bed. I'm getting my laundry done.

I'm only a little surprised to find the washing machine occupied. Brandon does his chores well, but he has a habit of forgetting them. Not a big deal. I begin to move the washrags to the dryer when I'm greeted by yet another surprise.

My son's clothes are here. In the dryer. He's supposed to do this on the weekend. They've been in here for three days.

What's he been wearing?!

So my mind begins to race. What to do here? How to get the message across?

Yell? Scream?

Of course not. What does that solve?

A-ha! I have it!

I chuckle as my mind hatches a thoroughly immature plan. But I am not a mature father.

I gather his clothes into his basket and take them upstairs. I want to leave them where he'll find then, but I don't want to disturb him either.

So I leave the basket, the waist high basket, just outside his door.

Right in front of his door.

Where I'm sure he'll see it.

Now, I'm content to let the matter go at this point, but God loves me and wants me to see my plan come to fruition.

So I wait in the neighboring office as Brandon gets up to use the bathroom. And I try to not laugh as he emerges from his bedroom.

But when he yelps and nearly face plants into the wall, I lose it.

Now, like I said; I'm not a mature father. This is hardly the first time I've done something like this. So he just gives me what I call That Look.

We hug. He uses the bathroom. He takes his clean clothes into the bedroom. One more That Look. Back to bed he goes.

We'll see if the lessons have been learned in the next episode.