Welcome to a special collector’s edition of “Where in the world are Jacob’s socks?” It’s a special edition, because for the first time ever it does not contain a photo of Jacob’s socks. Why? Well, it’s because Jacob’s socks are AWOL. At least, the correct pair of socks. Allow me to explain.
Without fail, the boys always wait until the last minute to get ready. For anything. Always. (Disclaimer: I also wait until the last minute, but back off, this post is about them and not about me. Save that for another day.) Today, it was swim classes. I needed the boys to get on their shoes and coats, in order to head to swim classes. Such a simple request, but yet, so many perplexed stares, as I asked, “Why aren’t your shoes and coats on yet?” In fact, I now kind of amped up my intensity level of asking, even though I anticipate this happening every time and as a result was not really concerned.
Seeing that Jacob was still walking around barefoot, I asked (in a thoroughly exasperated dad fashion that only comes from years and years of practice) why he had not yet put on his socks, much less the shoes and coat of my original request. The answer was sort of expected, but surprising to hear from my frustrated preteen. “I cannot find my socks. They were on the table, but they aren’t there anymore.” Okay, my 11-year-old is referring to the dining room table. Why it should be an acceptable holding spot for socks is beyond me, but something I oddly tolerate. Strangely enough, I had not moved his socks from the table and could not even remember the last time I saw his socks. Scurrying off, barefoot Jacob searched for his socks.
As I reminded his 7-year-old brother, who was for some reason slowly spinning around at the foot of the stairs, to get ready, I saw Jacob begin to put on his shoes. Jacob was now wearing socks, but his choice was peculiar. My boy was wearing blue dress socks, which did match the color of his blue track pants, but really were not appropriate for any other reason. Why must I now be confronted with asking him to find a pair of athletic socks? Why is this my lot in life? Considering those questions, I also considered the possibility that few people if any would notice his odd choice of hosiery. Move on and get them in the car. More important struggles certainly await and more socks will need to be found.