"Would you miss me, Mom?"

The PG X was on this weekend. I gave Jed money to go on the first day. He doesn't really like the rides and only plays a couple of games, but he loves to hang around and just check out the free exhibits and entertainment. For 20 bucks it kept him occupied all day - it woulda been a bargain at twice the price.

He wanted to go again the next day. I forked over more money. But this time I insisted he wear street clothes - no Security Uniforms, RCMP shirts, Fort George Highway Rescue gear - you never know what kind of situation might arise. (Last year he went with his life skills worker and she lost him for a while and found him in behind a barricade, manning a security/first aid post. )

Saturday night he came home and told me he was "working" at the fair the next day and had to be there at 8 am. I knew the Fort George Highway Rescue (where Jed is an honourary member) had a booth or something set up and I assumed he was going to sit with the members and perhaps help with take-down at the end of the day.

So off he toddled in the rain Sunday morning. I never seen or heard from him until 10 pm, when I got a phone call, "Mom, I made $75!"
"How cool, is that," I respond.
"Westcoast Amusements wants me to go on the road with them."
"Huh. What?"
"They want to know if I want to be a Carnie and travel with them. Would you miss me, Mom?"
"Uh, yes I'd miss you." And just in case he actually thought he could go on the road with West Coast Amusements and survive past Tuesday, I added, "And I'd have to rent out your new basement suite to someone else. Now please explain what the heck you actually did at the fair today."
"Operated the rides."

So after 12 hours in the rain with no coat, he arrived home frozen, exhausted and starving with 75 bucks burning a hole in his pocket. And a new hat on his head. And he's convinced that next year he'll be on the road - this year his mom would miss him too much.