Belly Aches and Such

Belly Aches and Such

"Dad?"

"That you, Bobby? Uggh! Hang on a minute.  Just about got this...hey, hand me that socket over there...Thanks.  I'll be out from under here in a minute.  Just about got this darn thing off .  There it goes! Quick! Grab the oil pan! "

"Here ya go, Dad.  Here's a towel too."

"Oh, boy -- my back. Gettin' up from under these things is gettin harder and harder on your old man.  Need to start taking the cars down to Smiley's and let him do this stuff like your mom keeps tellin' me."

"Hey, Dad?"

"What’s the matter, Bobby?  Why the frown?"

"You know Sandy's friend, Chantel, who was at Sandy's pool party last month?"

"Ummm, let's see...is that the pretty tall one with the long, dark wavy hair, or the short cute redhead with the butterfly tattoo across her back?"

"Yeah, the first one."

“O.K. Gotcha’.  Yeah, I know who you're talkin' about. Seems like a nice girl. No tattoos.  No piercings.”

“Well…uhm, Dad?”

“What is it, son?”

“You know when I got out the pool and ran past you cooking on the grill and you were asking if I wanted a burger and I didn’t say anything and just kept running even though you kept calling after me?”

“Yeah, I remember.  Your mom came out and told me you had run into the bathroom with your hands cupped in front of you saying you had a bad belly ache.”

“Right, but Dad…”

“What, son?  Did Sandy hit you or kick you or something.  I know your sister can get mean when she doesn’t want you hanging around her and her friends.”

“No, Dad.  It wasn’t Sandy.  It was her friend Chantel.”

“The nice, pretty one?  She mean too?

“No not that, Dad.  Something happened.”

“What do you mean, Son?”

“Well, something just happened.  I was just looking at her and I was thinking ‘boy she sure is pretty’.  And her hair and skin was all shiny and everything and when Sandy yelled at me to leave, she smiled at me and said I was cute and told Sandy to let me stay.”

“O.K., so what did she do that made you go bolting into the house holding your belly? O-h-h-h-h.  Now I think I see.

“Dad, why are you laughing?  Dad, it’s not funny.”

“O.K., Son. So, what you’re saying is something happened but it wasn't a belly ache?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, Bobby that’s just a natural part of growing up.  I’m sure that wasn’t the first time that happened right?”

“Yeah, but it usually only happens when I’m alone.  Now, it happens almost every time I see a cute girl.  And sometimes they’re not even that cute.”

“Son, all this means is you’re a perfectly healthy boy, and I'll tell you a secret.  Sometimes I even get those “belly aches”  when your mother smiles at me at just the right moment.  But that’s our secret, o.k.?

“O.K., Dad.”

“That’s my Boy!”