Finally, the story came out.
"When you and Grandpa were out shopping, I went into Uncle Andrew's room to look for my I-pad," he began. His I-pad is off limits except during school holidays and then only for two hours a day. Unless we hide it, he goes to wherever it was and takes it and hides it behind or under his bed. At the moment I've found a very good hiding place that he has yet to find. We always know when he has found it because he mysteriously spends hours in his room and is notoriously difficult to get up in the morning.
Back to Sam. "I opened one of his cupboards and I found like, ummm, errrr, a deck of cards..."
"Do you mean to say you were gambling at school?" I asked, a bit taken aback by that possibility.
"No..." he said hesitantly.
All the while tears intermittently streaming down his face and hands continually wiping them away.
"They had pictures of naked women on them..."
And apparently very lewd pictures they were, too!
"I took them and put them in my school bag and took them to school."
"So what were you showing them around and the teacher caught you?" I asked, wondering why considering his age and gender, I hadn't suspected it was something like this...
"No, I told this 'friend' and when I wouldn't show him, he grabbed my bag and went into it and took a bunch of them and wouldn't give them back." He explained. "He started showing and giving them to all
these kids and the Deputy Head found one of them."
So of course when the picture was found and the boy was questioned it all came back to Sam and Sam got called into the Headmaster's office to explain himself! Total humiliation. He was told that his grandparents would have to be told... He was terrified and afraid to come home.
Sam got to the house and walked around the block several times. He then went into the cellar, where the garage is, and hid in the Volvo which The Man insists on keeping. The garage is small and dirty and he hid for a while behind the car -- this getting rather dirty -- and then crept into the car itself. After quite a good while he decided he'd better get it over with and 'face the music'.
When he finished, I told him that he had been wrong in several ways, but that it was not the worst thing I'd ever heard. This seemed to calm him down a little. I told him I was also glad he was not in a fight, that that would have been worse to me.
"However, one," I admonished him, you should not have been looking for the I-pad, when told you couldn't have it; two, you should not have been invading his uncle's privacy and going through his things; three you should not have 'stolen' your uncle's property; and four you should not have been so stupid as to take them to school! You have," I continued, "created your own recipe for disaster." Then I took his blazer for the wash and sent him upstairs to change his clothes.
Seconds later he was back and quite agitated. "I can hear Grandpa talking to the school," he said quaking.
"How is that, I didn't hear the phone ring?" I told him to go change and listened to the conversation. It went something like this...
"Cards, do you mean playing cards?" "I don't understand. They have pictures..." "What kind of pictures?" Then in his most indignant English military officer's voice "I beg your pardon, I certainly do not have any pictures like that in my house!"
The school had called him on his cell phone -- which was totally surprising considering he almost never uses it, almost never has it turned on, and it is almost never in the same room as he is! It was time for me to intercede. "I know what it is all about" I yelled. "You'd better let me take it." Which he did...
(More anon ...)
Poor Sam! But I had to laugh all the same :)
ReplyDeleteMe, too! Just not at the time...
DeleteSounds like you handled it well. As you say it is not a big deal, the stealing and taking to school was the worst of it. If he had a finished brain he would have seen the inevitable results and the consequences. but kids are not yet able to see always see consequences to actions.
ReplyDeleteSeeing the consequences often doesn't come until old age ;-)
DeletePoor young chap!..What a muddle for him to have to face....and well done you both ticking him off and reassuring him.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Fly. He was mighty relieved ...
DeleteGrowing up is a difficult business where it is easy to make mistakes. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way. I'm sure Uncle Andrew will see the funny side"
ReplyDeleteUncle Andrew will definitely see the funny side -- I'm pretty sure!
DeleteShould be a !
ReplyDeleteOh, poor Sam! A typical young teenage scrape, but at least he finally admitted it and you could sort it out. I don't think any of you will forget it. :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope he remembers it when he has kids of his own... ;-)
DeletePoor Sam. As Emily said to Laura, "You better stop acting the little tough guy; you have no idea how bad Gramma can make it." Looking forward to the next installment. Dear little Sam is punishing himself.
ReplyDeleteAt the time, yes -- but, I suspect he's mostly forgotten all about it -- for now!
DeleteOh Dear!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Rosaria! Indeed!
DeleteMost of us have had similar experiences in our prurient years. I was fortunate not to get caught.
ReplyDelete:-)
DeleteLife is one big learning curve. Poor Sam
ReplyDeleteIsn't it just! A neverending one it would seem!
DeleteI had to smile at this as I've seen such a deck of playing cards, I believe in the possession of my husband many many years ago. Don't know what happened to them. Poor Sam, hopefully he learned a valuable lesson. Go easy on him.
ReplyDeleteBoys will be boys, as they say!
DeleteI'm on the edge of my seat...
ReplyDeleteRelax, put your feet up!
DeleteYep, sometimes the anticipation of punishment is the worse part.
ReplyDeleteThe embarrassment was punishment enough, methinks...
DeletePoor Sam..but brilliantly handled again by grandma. I'm sure the school will have dealt with things like this before.....and as you say, hardly the worst thing in the world...but I'm sure there will be lessons learned here for him.
ReplyDeleteThank you Janice. I agree the school has dealt with things like this before -- at least the Head and Deputy- Head had...
DeleteDear Broad, you and your husband are certainly having an adventure as you spend this year or so with Sam. He always sounds to me like a "typical boy"--whatever that is--who is curious and excited about new things. There's a wonder in him but learning to shepherd that wonder takes more maturity than he has right now. Peace.
ReplyDeleteHe is also extremely head-strong and bumbles his way head-long into situations that get out of control!! But I have confidence he will get 'there' in the end.
DeleteSam has brought some interesting situations into your life, hasn't he? I think you handled it very well, but I can see your husband, not knowing what it was all about.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting -- especially situations I've experienced before, but have forgotten about. To be honest, my husband's confusion had a definite humorous side to it!
DeleteOh, I can feel the little boy's regret from here!
ReplyDeletePearl
Rest assured -- he's got over it!
DeleteCame over here from Going Gently...this is one of the funniest things I've read. I saw similar cards (actually much worse) when I was eight. It was at the neighbor's... We didn't get caught snooping in the dresser, thank goodness.
ReplyDeleteThank you Susie I appreciate your visit! Indeed, there are cards that are worse -- but these were bad enough to shock a few people, including my husband!
DeleteG'day Broad. Can't wait to read more. You did handle it extremely well. Take care. Liz...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liz. You take care yourself!
Delete