Dad Entry #196

Other than minor manipulation of his sister, I'm proud to say I've never caught Michael bullying anyone, or crossing the line I imagine exists between rare orneriness and recurrent meanness. I've never seen him gleefully massacre insects, or chase frogs with the intention of stomping on them. I tend to be naive, but even I'm inclined to think there are kids who, for whatever reason, are prone to these types of curiosities and tendencies, almost as if predisposed. So far, not so with Michael. He is innately a gentle and self-possessed person, which I view as a sign of self-esteem and security. When playing sports, for example, Michael is painfully placid and nice – bordering on lethargic, actually. He's competitive with Megan, as I alluded to above, and occasionally bossy with friends, but he's a far cry from domineering. And yet, like all of us, Michael has an ego. He swings like DiMaggio and knows it. He has a confident, brainy side, and (as I proudly mentioned before) is on a path to superstardom with the cello. Hendrix. Page. Clapton. Cox. My sister's father-in-law is a tremendous man who grew up with Bob Dylan in smalltown Minnesota. He took second place behind Dylan in their high school talent show, and we frequently, incredulously, facetiously berate him for it. He says the 'everyday,' private Dylan was good-natured and mellow. Michael is good-natured and mellow. But he's also very focused and diligent about the things he loves and finds interesting, things like reptiles, learning, fishing, the cello, hitting baseballs, playing with friends. Michael's homework is done carefully and never at the last minute. He can lose himself in Minecraft, but he's surprisingly with-it about things that matter. Apparently Dylan never went anywhere without his guitar; he walked to school with it; he walked home with it; he played it constantly. Michael has a little of that OCD, too. Overall, I love Michael's disposition. And I love what lies beneath it. I love every layer and dimension of my son.