I spent some quality time last night with Noah. I've noticed the first thing he does when I arrive at his home, after I see him get visibly excited through the window as I walk toward him from the car, is he wants to show me something new that he has, something with which we can play.

Last night, it was a rubberized toy sword. Evidently, his parents had already taught him not to stab someone even in play, because I saw a lot swinging, but no poking - of Pa, or anyone else.

His parents always seem to be a few steps ahead of him regarding behavior that could even remotely be interpreted as bad. Their investment is paying dividends even now, but in the future - that kid will be a net add to society, not a minus. And isn't that our job as parents?

We moved quickly to the bedroom, where he opened his closet to get out more toys. Dismissively, he admitted that the closets weren't school buses, as we had pretended last week, but were simply bedroom closets. Such a memory.

I told him I disagreed - they could be anything we wanted them to be. We moved from the bedroom to the basement, where a corner of the large room is his. We played inside the cardboard house that once contained a new freezer, a briefly with his kitchen.

We moved to the furniture and began watching the movie "Jungle Book 2" on television. I was passingly familiar with Mowgli and his story,  but it was great to share it with Noah. He asked about 1,000 questions. We talked about the animals and the people, and I was hoping he wouldn't be too frightened of the tiger. He did fine.

Reunion

Trick-or-treating on All Hallow's Eve 2012 with the family. Noah's at far right, directly above the center of the spider.


When we pulled in, I saw Gretta's face in the window. I smiled - I knew what was about to happen, and it would be fun.

But I had traveled north for a different reason. I got out, grabbed the stuff from the backseat, and turned to begin the short walk to the front door.

PA! I heard. I stopped, raised my head, straightened myself, and there he was. He had opened the front door halfway, and was leaning out toward the porch, a big smile on his face.

In my clearest, loudest and most joyous voice, I replied NOAH!, and my soul lifted skyward. His absence the last two weeks was over. I had re-entered his world, our world, Noah's world - Pa's and Noah's world. Emotionally, it's like stepping into a promised land where there is no suffering, no worry; naught but fun and very often silliness.

And learning. He repeats everything you say, as if practicing to become better at it.

I got to watch him go trick-or-treating, and it was a pleasure and a privilege. He was engaged, he was having fun. He acted as if it was his first time; he'd evidently forgotten about last year.

He was costumed as a fire chief, and boy did he look good, except possibly when he put his helmet on backwards.

God, I missed him. Last night was a tonic. And I got to see Owen, too. What a pair they're going to make.