First off, how sweet is my blog's new look? I know, right? I think it screams M-a-r-g-e-n-e. Screams it. I took this little online tutorial and all of a sudden - BOOM-BAM - I gots me ppppppuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrdddddddyyyyyyyy new blog layout. Don't you just think it's the cat's pajamas, Ben? The bee's knees?
Ben: I haven't seen it. I didn't even know you-
Me: Here. It's right here.
Ben: Looks good.
Me: Thank you.
Ben: Is that your interview with Mom?
Me: 'Tis, indeed.
Ben: Let me read.
Me: On your own time, buddy. We're on the clock.
Ben: You're a slave driver.
Me: I'm a professional.
Ben: Professional?
Me: What? I'm more of a professional than I am a slave dri-
Ben: Doesn't a professional have to get paid to do-
Me: Alright, Ben. What's your story?
Ben: What do you mean?
Me: Tell me something I've never known about you.
Ben: Until seventh grade, I thought - no, I could have sworn - people from Denmark were called Denmarkians.
Me: Wow. That is something I...never knew about you.
Ben: I had this guy in my class for three straight years who was...who was Danish and I thought I heard him say "Denmarkian" one time so it just stuck in my head.
Me: What was the other kid's name?
Ben: Lars.
Me: And he was Danish?
Ben: Yeah.
Me: So I doubt you heard him say Denmarkian. I mean...of anybody, he would know that isn't a word.
Ben: Totally. I'm sure he never said that. But I thought he had, so it got stuck in my brain.
Me: Interesting.
Ben: Not really.
Me: No. You're right.
Ben: Hey.
Me: If you could play any sport professionally, what would it be?
Ben: I think I like playing baseball the most, but I think being a soccer player, like in Europe or somewhere-
Me: Denmark, perhaps.
Ben: Funny.
Me: Thanks.
Ben: But being a pro soccer player would be pretty darn cool because you get to travel a lot through Europe and the rest of the world, too, I bet.
Me: No, I totally agree. Those guys got to have pretty incredible lives. I think I might have said this before now that I type it, but...yeah. Live in Rome or wherever. Go to London for a game, come home to Rome. Eat some spaghetti. Go to bed. Must be nice.
Ben: Lotta flying though.
Me: Yeah, but the Jazz do a lot of flying too...but it's to places like Cleveland and San Antonio...no offense Cleveland and San Antonio.
Ben: I'm sure they'll be OK. This is a weird interview.
Me: Let's get it back on track. What's your first real, solid memory?
Ben: Um...I mean, I have snippets of being really little. But...oh, OK. This is kinda my first: At our old place, we had this little wooden jungle gym in the "back yard" - if you wanna call it that - and this jungle gym was so rickety. Like, I mean real rickety. I don't know if Dad built it or what, but there were two swings...like, wooden swings with ropes that were all frayed-
Me: This whole operation sounds really safe...
Ben: I know. Tell me about it. I don't ever remember playing on that thing once...but anyway. So it had two crappy-
Me: Ben.
Ben: Sorry. It had two cruddy old swings hanging down, about two feet apart I guess.
Me: You remember this thing well.
Ben: Well, just the jungle gym isn't the memory. I'm just setting up the visual so the memory makes sense.
Me: I see. Continue.
Ben: So Dad was mowing this lawn with a riding lawn mower. This yard wasn't big enough to deserve a riding lawn mower.
Me: You're dad loves being behind the wheel of anything...
Ben: Exactly. So, he's got his system of mowing and he's going back and forth. Finally, and this is the actual memory I have that I've been trying to get to: he tries to drive the lawn mower in between the two swings, which hung really low to the ground, and the front two tires started getting wrapped up in the rope so the front of the mower started rising up as the back wheels kept moving forward.
Me: Oh, my gosh!
Ben: So the back wheels keep moving forward and the front end keeps going towards the sky...and my dad's face...my dad's face...his eyes were so wide. He didn't know what to do. He kept beginning to make a move, but then would stop.
Me: What'd he do?
Ben: I remember I was standing by the kitchen door, watching him, and I ran over - waddled over, more like it - and he told me stop. Like really loud. "Stop!" So I did. Then, he did this pretty awkward, but also pretty awesome backwards somersault off the seat, onto the grass. Then he popped to his feet.
Me: Like Chuck Norris.
Ben: Barely, but kinda. Then we watched it creep a little bit higher before Dad could finally hit the switch to kill the engine. Then he cut the ropes, which dropped the front end down real hard and broke both wheels. I guess he just threw the thing away then. I don't know.
Me: Wow. That's a whole story.
Ben: Well, a lot of that was set up. The memory was me taking a step towards him as the mower was almost pointing straight up and him yelling, "Stop!" That and the thud when he cut the ropes with the hedge trimmers and mower hit the ground.
Me: That's so crazy.
Ben: It was. I wonder if he remembers that. Will you ask him?
Me: I will. I think I'm gonna interview him next. Him or Lester.
Ben: Do Dad. Lester will be boring. He-
Me: Lester will NOT be boring, thank you very little.
Ben: He-
Me: Hey! Anyway. Where do you see yourself in 30 years?
Ben: Here.
Me: Sandy?
Ben: No, like here. In these houses.
Me: In these houses?
Ben: I mean...if need be or whatever. I don't know. In this house, at least. Or this neighborhood...I don't know. I'd like to be here...just, in general. But I really do like picturing myself with a family...if not in this house, one a heck of a lot like it...raising a family.
Me: That sounds nice.
Ben: Well you tell me. You're living it now...
Me: That's true. It's great.
Ben: I bet.
Me: Don't grow up too fast, though, OK? Remember all the European travel that sounded all exciting and cool...
Ben: I know.
Me: Are you still interested in the military?
Ben: I am. There's some traveling for you...
Me: Seriously. Some serious travel. Not exactly the fun kind, though.
Ben: It could be. I mean, when you go on leave and stuff.
Me: Yeah, but-
Ben: Are you gonna try to talk me out of joining the military?
Me: I won't right now.
Ben: Thank you.
Me: But I might later.
Ben: I figured.
Me: I mean, I am a mother. It's what we do.
Ben: I know.
Me: Not talking you out of it - promise - but I am interested: Why do you think you want to join?
Ben: The service thing...I like that. I like that you put in your time...doing the hard work...but then being able to enjoy the fact that it's done when you get out. Like, after your five years or whatever, you can say you served your country and no matter what you do from that point on, no one can ever take that away from you. I like that it's something that's a part of you forever.
Me: (teary) That's really great, Benny.
Ben: Thank you.
Me: And thank you for letting me interview you this morning.
Ben: I did all the talking.
Me: That's the point.
Ben: I mean, you only asked a few questions and I just yapped a lot.
Me: Hardly. You were great. Thanks.
Ben: You're welcome.
