Sunday 28 March 2010

Thinking Ahead




He followed me into the kitchen as if he had something important to tell me...


- Dad, I want to be a writer.

- Cool, I said.

I’m not one of those people who dump their own dreams and expectations on to their children. I want him to do whatever he wants to do. The cliché follows...as long as he’s happy.

So I left the conversation at that.

A few days later...

- Dad, did I tell you I wanted to be a writer?

- Yeah, buddy. That’s pretty cool. What do you want to write?

He gave me the title of something that he’s been thinking about. First it was going to be a movie, then a cartoon, then an X-box game. Now it’s going to be a book. We have franchise possibilities here, people and that’s why I’m not providing the title. You just never know.

- That sounds excellent, son. When you going to start it?

- Eh...he says and pauses. He thinks awhile. Like it hadn’t occurred to him that work had to be done and the thing had to be started. He answers - Soon.

- Can I give you some advice, buddy?

- Sure, after all, dad you’re world famous and very successful (ok, he didn’t say that EXACTLY. I’m paraphrasing...in a wish fulfilment kinda way.)

- Well, to be a writer, you’ve got to read a lot.

- I think I want to be a businessman then.

- Why are you thinking about this just now? You’ve just turned 12.

- I can’t live with you or my mum forever. I need to be able to have enough money to buy a flat of my own.

- Again. You’re 12. There’s plenty of time to think about this.

He pats my hand

– You need to plan, dad. Stuff just doesn’t happen on its own.


Who is putting this stuff in his head? I blame the cartoons. Full of all kinds of nonsense.

6 comments:

  1. as an ex teacher I sometimes think this new generation of kids is all practical and power-thirsty :))

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  2. yeah, Dezmond - and if they have the work ethic to go along with it, watch out!

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  3. michael, first: LOVE THE HAIRY COW! i'm stealing the pix. tanx

    second: discourage him constantly from being a writer. no money in it, etc etc. JK Rowling's parents did the same thing...

    and tell him, not only should he have a plan, he also needs a plan b

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  4. Thea, first: you can have the hairy cow. We have loads of them in Scotland. Second: he knows there's no money in it -he's always disappointed when asking for his allowance.

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  5. I think comment from me is superfluous. You know already that the wee man's my role model. The sooner he gets his own blog the better. Nice posting, Michael.

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  6. easter holidays coming up, Bill. I'm sure he'll have plenty of lessons for me.

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