SHOELACES & EVERYTHING

My son went to a friend’s house
For the first time since we moved.
Before he left I asked him to
“Tell me a little about your friend.”

My son was peeved by the inquiry,
but skateboard in hand,
helmet strapped on,
and new skater shoelaces tied too tight
he told me about the friend.

This young man’s name was Zack,
and that’s Zack with a K.
He was so cool, I learned, and
“He is good at, like, everything.”

One shouldn’t have to ask
for a definition of “everything,”
but with a nine year old,
everything
is really nothing at all.

Zack could skateboard and bike
like the guys on TV
and was VIP in every sport
but his best was basketball.

That was everything.

I wanted to say, “Son,
it’s not worth it,
pretending to be someone you’re not.”

For I knew the reason he tied his shoes
with two knots
was because he had not learned
it was cooler to just tuck the laces in.

But instead I handed him a helmet and asked,
“If it’s not too much trouble,
would you mind wearing this?”