#69 In Roads-Cool kid

 

I don’t want to talk to anyone today. I picked the park to walk through, thinking it would be easy to find someone to chat with. Instead, there are families involved in their own worlds that are not interested in visiting with some stranger. After the second lap through the dog park I’m frustrated and ready to give up when I see Joey carrying an exhausted little boy out of the pool area. “He looks really tired,” I point out.

“Yep, he is. He’s a year and three months old and just started walking. He’s so wiped out he won’t even do that. Mostly he’s full,” he tells me as he sips on a blue Slurpee. “He’s my little brother, DJ,” he shares. I mention that I thought he looked too young to be a daddy. “Oh no way he declares. “I have eight sisters and they are all in the pool right now. I mean all of them. It’s just me and him against all of them. I am not going to be having any kids any time soon. And probably never.” He rolls his eyes and looks skyward while cradling the baby in his arms.

The 18-year old personable, mature and warm native Portlander just graduated from Jesuit High and is gearing up to attend Oregon State. He tells me he’s going to be an engineer. “Oh, wow, from a family of 10 and you’re a wizard, too,” I observe. He glows. “Yes I am,” he declares proudly. I tell him about the blog and he gets excited. “Tell me how to look you up so I can see what you write.”

I ask if he can remember www.thunderpressed.wpengine.com “Yep, I have a great memory,” Joey tells me as he reaches out to shake my hand and he ask my name. As the polite young man poses for the photo he says, “Hey wait, are my teeth blue?”

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