The boys reached Ohio safe-n-sound, although Exene said that B2 puked on her (and himself) around five hours into the trip. Knowing B2, who is prone to carsickness, they probably had some McD's or something at some rest stop point in the bus trip, then he hurled later. I know from hard experience (hell, B2 first car-puked in the White Donkey, years ago, in his baby seat -- from that point onward, I was always mindful of not giving him much in the way of food while on the road). Knowing Exene, she didn't pack any "barf bags" -- even though B2 bus-puked on their last trip. I meant to remind her to bring some barf bags when I dropped the boys off with her, but hadn't remembered until a few hours later, when they were already on the road.
But, aside from that, they got where they were going. I really miss my guys. Having them gone from the city, knowing that they're not here, makes Chicago feel terribly empty to me. It's kind of funny, really -- when they're with their mom, in the city, even though they're not with me, I at least know they're around, and take some comfort in that. When I know that they're actually in another state, and are nowhere near me, then it makes me feel terrible, it colors everything around me.
With kids, your focus shrinks, your world zooms in on your household, and it's a wonderful thing -- I mean, it's like your eye in the storm of life, this place of peace and safety, your home (obviously, with kids, everything's far from peaceful -- but there is a peace even in the joyful noise of childhood, at least I think so). It's why empty playgrounds are creepy -- playgrounds require children in them to be joyful places. Take the kids away, and all you see is this vacancy where kids belong. A home can be like that, too. B1 turns 10 years old next month -- I'll have been a dad for a decade when his birthday rolls around. That matters a lot to me.
Anyway, I miss the boys. They're supposed to be back in town tomorrow evening. I'm looking forward to that.
