Masked

How cute is this boy?  The most perfectly sweet little grim reaper you ever did see, right?!?!

This scary looking guy was not easy to create.  Every year Aunt Debbie buys the kids Halloween costumes for their birthdays.  She always consults with them ahead to make sure she is getting exactly what they want, which she usually does.  This year was a real challenge for Deb.  She brought Patrick the costume catalog and went through it with him.  He picked out some real doozies.  One had a tattoo shirt with bloody, oozing bullet holes.  Another had a slash in the stomach flesh with his insides on display.  Really people, these were children's costumes.  I decided 1st grade was a bit too early to start with such gory costumes. Aunt Debbie and Patrick were both very disappointed.

There were several grim reapers to choose from, which was what he said he wanted to be in the first place. After much deliberation, he finally chose the all black get up with blinking lights for eyes.  It was very cool.  As you can imagine the light up eyes were the best part, so good in fact he had to play with them long before Halloween.  As any parent knows, this can only end in disaster.  An hour before it is time to head out the neighborhood parade, the eyes quit working.  Tears are falling. I try to readjust and wiggle wires.  Nothing I do is working.  Daddy gets on board with the repair and is successful after many maneuvers.  WHEW!  Now, we have electrical tape around a phone case holding the batteries wired to the glasses.  Said phone case must go inside shorts pockets, and he must change the clothes underneath the costume, which results in many tears because he only likes to wear athletic shorts, which have no pockets.  Daddy is losing patience.  After all, didn't he save the day by fixing the blinking eyes? My turn to explain the clothing situation and the parade schedule.  He relents puts on the clothes and costume, with blinking eyes and we head out the door to the parade, LATE.  Lucky for us, the parade was behind schedule and the grim reaper was present for the annual BOO parade.  We can't have Halloween without the grim reaper.  That wouldn't be right.

The real irony of it all is that Patrick was the grim reaper.  He wouldn't hurt a fly.  He is just not a fighter, that one. That is until recently. You see Patrick was being bullied by a friend at school.  He would NOT stand up to the kid.  I had a few conversations with Patrick about what to say.  It wasn't working.  It did not go on for all that long because daddy got involved.  He quickly informed me that words don't work on most boys.  If Patrick was going to get a message across to this kid, he had to speak his language, a language that had nothing to do with words. Not something mommies want to hear!  I have spent years teaching him to use his words, and now, I have to say it's OK to fight... nuh, uh, not going to do it.  I was quickly told by daddy that it wasn't up to me; he was the man and he would teach him to be a man.  Seriously?!?!  What century are we living in? Luckily, I am not married to a complete Neanderthal and he told Patrick to push the kid the next time he got physical with him.  Thank Goodness no fists, not yet.

Well when the showdown happened, it happened on the bus.  Patrick was being hit in the face repeatedly with a package of zany bands and grabbed the kids arm to stop him and sunk in his very untrimmed nails, drawing blood.  (Note to self- keep nails trimmed) Guess who got into trouble on the bus?!?! He was so upset.  He got off the bus and ran home without saying a word.  Every kid pouring off the bus that day kept saying, "It wasn't his fault! It wasn't his fault!" At that point, I had no idea what had happened, but I had a pretty good idea.  He finally stood up for himself!  Although I am not one to advocate violence of any kind, I was proud of him.

People who know Patrick find this story especially shocking.  He is loud, he is out there, he is all boy, and I love it! That is what people see on the outside.  At home, he is really sensitive and gets his little feelings hurt so easily.  He missed Claire so much when she went to camp he would not leave my side, not at all, the whole week she was gone.  Even I was shocked at that.  As loud, crazy and confident as he seems, the little boy who wants to be the grim reaper for Halloween was still affected by a bully, especially since that bully was and still is a good friend.