Let’s play hooky today...

“Let’s play hooky today,” my step mom said. She was across the kitchen, and I was finishing up my breakfast. I had no idea what hooky was - I was only five or six years old - but it sounded better than school. So, with my mouth full of Cookie Crisp, I mumbled, “Okay.”

It turned out hooky meant skipping school and going to the zoo for the day. Now, I’m not one of those people that can recall whole volumes of experiences from their youth. I remember very little of my elementary school days, but that day at the zoo with my step mom is one that stands out as an all-time favorite. And what makes it so memorable is that the whole time we were looking at monkeys and elephants and eating crappy, delicious hot dogs, I knew I should’ve been at school. I knew my friends were doing reading, math, and writing, and I was having the coolest, clandestine day ever.

I imagine some people would find the idea irresponsible, and they might go on to explain that such an act was setting a bad example for me, but I can say without hesitation that that’s bullshit. I consider myself a responsible guy. Not perfect by any definition, but looking back, there’s more I can be proud of than not. That day didn’t teach me that it was okay to skip school on a regular basis or that my education wasn’t important. It taught me that once in a while, it’s okay to put your responsibilities on hold and do something fun with someone you love. Just once, every now and then, it’s okay to call in sick when you’re not. If my step mom hadn’t decided to play hooky with me that day, it would now be a blank spot on my memory, just another day lost to time. Instead, it’s a warm recollection that I will happily carry with me to my grave. I definitely plan on building a “hooky” memory for my kid. Not often. Just once in awhile.

33 days until baby. Please comment and follow!