Are You Serious?

Hey, this is a crazy story! Friday morning Willie gave Isaiah a huge check so he could pick up his class room...he had whined about it all week! The check was written. We could not wait to see our investment that evening!

About 1 o'clock my phone rang. It was a hang up from Isaiah...then rang again..hang up. I called back ...could hear talking. First thought something bad going down at school. Then hang up....Finally, Isaiah calls back screaming in the phone....ARE YOU SERIOUS...ARE YOU KIDDING ME...ARE YOU SERIOUS...MY CLASS RING JUST WENT DOWN THE DRAIN....Needless to say I am in shock...thinking at first it is a joke...then...how do I tell Willie....We had just had a discussion in my office that we were going to have to cut back on entertainment because we forgot about the ring balance. Isaiah is still screaming...CALL HERFF JONES, CALL THE SCHOOL...CALL SOMEBODY!

I hang up the phone knowing I must tell Willie...yikes..he is gonna flip!!! The kid has only had the ring 4 hours and it is gone. So I dial Willie, "Willie don't get upset...please don't lose it because Isaiah is already upset enough...the class ring just went down the drain. He says, what was it doing off his finger..." I don't know Willie but he is very upset." His response in the strangest voice,"Okay....bye." We hang up the phone.

I call the school and of course there is nothing they can do...but put in a request on a Friday to the Duval County Public school who probably can't come out until next week.

Okay now my stomach is getting sick...I figure the best thing to do is go get Isaiah because I know he is not focusing and won't accomplish a thing. I call a few friends ask them to pray. I call Willie and tell him I am going to the school. I get there and Isaiah is in an assembly...when he finds out I am there he just walks out...exactly why I went to get him because he was going to get himself in trouble because he was upset.

I told him that he just needed to get in the car and cry! I knew he hadn't cried at school, he's 16 and it would have ruined his reputation of course. Yes, crying always makes you feel better even if you are a guy. I will not mention what happened in the car...but after about 20 minutes I think he felt better.

At the school I realized how insensitive adults can be....I mean every official there made him feel like crap...it was actually ridiculous. They were getting him even more upset. Yes, we were not happy about our money literally down the drain...but it was an accident.

To me as a mom it was one of those...bitter sweet moments...I could have been very upset and thought of the money only or chose to focus on my son's emotional state. My son's emotional state meant a lot more to me than anything at the point. He was DEVASTATED!

We talked through it, dad remained calmed and we found out that he had a one time replacement deal. He would have a class ring again!

That evening dad decided that Saturday morning he was going to the man hole with a friend and get the ring....Isaiah was a little nervous since it was on school property and did not want his dad arrested. Willie assured him it was okay. They attempted to get it with a net...but risking pushing it down the drain if it was still in there...Finally the Marine dad went for it dived in the man hole and pulled out handfuls of" who knows what" until the ring was retrieved!

His son was a very happy camper. Many people were praying too! It was an awesome day, not only did Isaiah get his ring back...but Dad bought him a car that day too!!! What a wonderful Father and husband!

And that is my ring story.......
written on Facebook note Friday, February 13, 2009