Breathing deep and looking out on the horizon as I drove into work, the sun came up burning through the morning mist making my hour commute feel like I was waking from a dream the whole time. This was a much needed peace transfusion to calm me from the dream I actually did wake up from ---being told that while on a class field trip to NYC my daughter was killed by a subway train. In my dream it felt like I was sobbing and wailing and breaking things for hours till I finally shot awake. But I just lay there, not even able to feel the relief of "Oh good, it was just a dream", because it still felt too real, like the toxins of grief were still floating around in my bloodstream. But indeed I was very glad it was just a dream.

As if in apology for having done that to me, the rest of the morning was wonderfully calm and smooth. Even the Lemur and I had only hugs and smiles and getting out the door on time fabulous departure. Amazing.

But the truly noteworthy thing about taking the kids around this morning happened as we were heading toward the Middle school. Our newest commuter, who typically doesn't say two words the whole trip, exclaimed, "I declare a Geek Off!" Being pre-teen boys the other two instantly leaped to the challenge (like they do to every cast gauntlet). Trouble was that they didn't really have an idea how Geek supremacy could be decisively determined in this duel sort of context.

Of course, Robo stood no chance. He is my boy and I love him without bounds, but he has much to learn in the ways of the geek. And I will be there for him to guide and build him, but in his time. I won't push him in this. It will happen when he's ready.

The two remaining boys squared off. Looking in my rear view mirror, I could see the new boy smiling confidently. The other boy in the back seat with him struck first, referencing the clarinet case and music folder he was carrying to show that he was a full on band geek, and then he smiled with a mouth full of braces. The new boy gazed back with a patient and encouraging look for this noble try, but then he pulled out a whole bag full of multi-sided gaming dice. The kind used when playing things like Dungeons and Dragons. When he quoted whole passages of HomeStarRunner, no one really needed to declare a winner out loud.

As they all quieted and looked to me for my input, like seeking the wisdom of the Geek Sage, I just grinned and thought, "Well done, grasshoppers".