Trees, Bicycle Tires, And Boston

Tristan got stuck in a tree today
My mom was all panic and stress
She was visiting from NYC cloaked in her blanket of grief
I felt it descend on me this afternoon at lunch as well
I came out to get Tristan down
His foot got caught between some branches
We both thought it was pretty funny as he lowered himself safe in my arms
When I came back indoors I heard about Boston
The blanket came back
During dinner Tristan wanted me to take his bike to the gas station to fill it full of air
I wanted to hear about Boston and was getting irritated
“It’s too late.” “It’s too dark” I said.
He wouldn’t give in
He had the stubborn single minded endurance of a 7 year old
I didn’t
We drove out to the gas station with the windows rolled down
I stood in the still suburban air filling up his tires
I felt clam and useful and glad to be standing in the still suburban air
We came back and my mom watched him pop wheelies in the driveway in the dark