Leash Laws
Ryan sat at the dinner table and listened to the easy banter between Seth and his parents. Occasionally, he interjected a comment or two but mostly he enjoyed listening. He had not quite figured out the rhythm of their back and forth.
Just as there was a pause in the conversation, Sandy announced, "Oh, Ryan I got you something today. Something you've needed for a while."
Ryan looked in Sandy's direction. Sandy's was smiling big at his the attempt at creating intrigue.
Ryan asks, "What is it? I don't think there is anything I need….You guys have done too much already."
"Oh, no my friend. This is a necessity. Especially, if you are going to be dating, going to parties…."
"No, Ryan run. Tell them you don't want it. Save yourself. It's too late for me but I'm telling you buddy. Run," Seth gestured towards the glass door as he spoke.
Sandy and Kirsten looked at each other and chuckled at Seth's response.
"Why what is it?" Ryan was very curious now and a little worried.
"It's a leash, man. Tell'em no thanks."
"A leash?" Ryan looked quizzically towards Kirsten and then Sandy.
"No, not a leash. It's a lifeline, a safety device and peace of mind for Kirsten and me."
"It's a device to harass, bother, and blow every intimate moment with your girlfriend," Seth warned.
Ryan was really worried now, what could it be. "Really, what is it Seth?"
Sandy stopped Seth from telling Ryan, "No, we'll tell you after dinner. Seth keep quiet."
Sandy smiled mischievously at Kirsten who responded seductively, "You're so bad and I think I like it."
"Mom, Dad nausea is setting in."
Both Sandy and Kirsten smiled at their son's disgust, as they began to finish their meal.
The rest of the meal was spent mostly in silence except for the occasional, "Don't let them ensnare you," or like comment from Seth. Sandy and Kirsten stole a glance or two at each other.
Ryan helped clear the table. Seth had retired to the family room and was busy with his playstation.
"Ryan. Sandy and I have this, you go out ninja Seth." Kirsten tried to nudge him into the family room even though she knew he would not listen. He always helped.
"No, its okay, I'll just finish up," Ryan said as he rinsed the salad bowls before putting them into the dishwasher.
Sandy, Kirsten and Ryan finished with the kitchen. Ryan sat down on the couch in the family room ready to challenge Seth a game or two on the playstation. But before he could get the offer out, Kirsten entered carrying a small gift bag. Sandy followed closely behind her.
Kirsten handed the gift bag to Ryan and said, "Okay, here's your leash as Seth calls it."
"Mom, Dad, Please don't do this to the guy," Seth begged as he paused his game.
Ryan took the bag and investigated the contents cautiously. As he took out the pastel colored tissue paper he reached in and pulled out a new cellphone. He laid it on the coffee table and pulled out a charger, earphone, and carrying case. He put the gift bag on the floor and picked up the cellphone again. He opened it and turned it on.
"Thanks, guys. It's too much," he said softy.
"Nonsense," Sandy said as he slapped him on the back. "How else are we going to harass, bother and ruin every intimate moment you have with your girlfriend?"
Kirsten walked around the coffee table and sat on the other side of Ryan. "Now we just need to cover the rules."
"Or as I like to refer to them, "The Leash Laws"," Seth interjected as he made the quote symbols with his fingers.
"Well, son, that is one way to look at it. But as I said before it is also a safety device. We can get in touch with you when we need to and you can get in touch with us. If you are in a bad situation, we are only a phone call away," Sandy explained.
So now for the "Leash Laws", Kirsten did the same hand quotes as Seth had done earlier and smirked at Seth as she did so.
"One, if you are not at the house or school, your cellphone will always be on. No excuses. If we try to get in touch with you and you say you did not hear the phone or it was not on, that is worth one week of grounding. No exceptions," Sandy said firmly.
"See, what did I tell you, buddy. It's a leash," Seth nodded his head knowingly.
"Seth, that's enough," Kirsten ordered.
"Two, if you find yourself in a bad situation and need help to get out, call us immediately. If you have had too much to drink, call us, do not drive. We will talk about it the next morning."
"We want you safe, we will just be grateful you called us and did not drive drunk. Of course, we discuss it with you the next day. But that night we will pick you up no questions ask," Kirsten added to Sandy's listing of the rules.
"Three, if we call you because you have missed curfew. When you pick up the phone, your first words should be, "I'm sorry. I am on my way home now, please don't ground me," Sandy chuckled as he said the last part.
Kirsten smiled as well. "Of course, you will be grounded unless you have a really, really good excuse."
"Four, if you tell us you are going someplace and those plans change, you are to call us and let us know where you will be and what the new plans are."
"Leash," Seth whispered.
"Five, this phone is not for chatting with friends for hours at time. You can do that with the house phone. This phone is for us to be in contact with you and for your safety. Of course, you can use it to make quick calls to friends but do not waste your minutes on that. Six, if we think of any other rules those are to be followed also."
Ryan had sat in silence and nodded after each instruction. As Sandy finished he looked down at the phone, and thought 'Leash is right'. He felt a little overwhelmed at the moment. No one had ever been concerned about his whereabouts before. His mother rarely knew where his was and he was glad. He also knew he could never call her if the situation went bad, either she would have been too drunk to help or if she did show up it would mean a beating when he got home. He wasn't sure he could live up to all of these "Leash Laws". He would surely screw things up and he would be grounded. But now someone cared that he was safe.
Kirsten and Sandy glanced at each other worriedly.
Kirsten put her hand on Ryan's back and rubbed it gently. "So what do you say, can you live with those rules."
Ryan looked into her eyes and then quickly back down at the phone. "Yeah, sure. I can."
Kirsten heart jumped a little at what she saw in his eyes. His eyes were glistened with tears, that he quickly covered by looking back down. 'Was he unhappy with the rules.' She continued to rub his back and said, "Ryan it is really just for your safety and our peace of mind. We are not trying to keep you from having fun. Just fun that is safe."
"Yeah, sure, I know…Thanks guys….for the phone. It's just…I'm going to screw it up."
Sandy laughed and slapped him on the back, "Of course, you will and that's when we get to go all parental on you and do fun stuff like ground you. That's what we parents live for, right, Seth."
Seth jumped up off the floor and wrapped his arms around his father as if to restrain him and said, "Run, free yourself, escape while you still have a chance at a normal life."
But Ryan didn't move, he stayed and laughed as Sandy struggled with Seth and Kirsten wrapped her arm around his shoulder. This was normal enough for him and leashes just might keep you safe.
Ryan sat at the dinner table and listened to the easy banter between Seth and his parents. Occasionally, he interjected a comment or two but mostly he enjoyed listening. He had not quite figured out the rhythm of their back and forth.
Just as there was a pause in the conversation, Sandy announced, "Oh, Ryan I got you something today. Something you've needed for a while."
Ryan looked in Sandy's direction. Sandy's was smiling big at his the attempt at creating intrigue.
Ryan asks, "What is it? I don't think there is anything I need….You guys have done too much already."
"Oh, no my friend. This is a necessity. Especially, if you are going to be dating, going to parties…."
"No, Ryan run. Tell them you don't want it. Save yourself. It's too late for me but I'm telling you buddy. Run," Seth gestured towards the glass door as he spoke.
Sandy and Kirsten looked at each other and chuckled at Seth's response.
"Why what is it?" Ryan was very curious now and a little worried.
"It's a leash, man. Tell'em no thanks."
"A leash?" Ryan looked quizzically towards Kirsten and then Sandy.
"No, not a leash. It's a lifeline, a safety device and peace of mind for Kirsten and me."
"It's a device to harass, bother, and blow every intimate moment with your girlfriend," Seth warned.
Ryan was really worried now, what could it be. "Really, what is it Seth?"
Sandy stopped Seth from telling Ryan, "No, we'll tell you after dinner. Seth keep quiet."
Sandy smiled mischievously at Kirsten who responded seductively, "You're so bad and I think I like it."
"Mom, Dad nausea is setting in."
Both Sandy and Kirsten smiled at their son's disgust, as they began to finish their meal.
The rest of the meal was spent mostly in silence except for the occasional, "Don't let them ensnare you," or like comment from Seth. Sandy and Kirsten stole a glance or two at each other.
Ryan helped clear the table. Seth had retired to the family room and was busy with his playstation.
"Ryan. Sandy and I have this, you go out ninja Seth." Kirsten tried to nudge him into the family room even though she knew he would not listen. He always helped.
"No, its okay, I'll just finish up," Ryan said as he rinsed the salad bowls before putting them into the dishwasher.
Sandy, Kirsten and Ryan finished with the kitchen. Ryan sat down on the couch in the family room ready to challenge Seth a game or two on the playstation. But before he could get the offer out, Kirsten entered carrying a small gift bag. Sandy followed closely behind her.
Kirsten handed the gift bag to Ryan and said, "Okay, here's your leash as Seth calls it."
"Mom, Dad, Please don't do this to the guy," Seth begged as he paused his game.
Ryan took the bag and investigated the contents cautiously. As he took out the pastel colored tissue paper he reached in and pulled out a new cellphone. He laid it on the coffee table and pulled out a charger, earphone, and carrying case. He put the gift bag on the floor and picked up the cellphone again. He opened it and turned it on.
"Thanks, guys. It's too much," he said softy.
"Nonsense," Sandy said as he slapped him on the back. "How else are we going to harass, bother and ruin every intimate moment you have with your girlfriend?"
Kirsten walked around the coffee table and sat on the other side of Ryan. "Now we just need to cover the rules."
"Or as I like to refer to them, "The Leash Laws"," Seth interjected as he made the quote symbols with his fingers.
"Well, son, that is one way to look at it. But as I said before it is also a safety device. We can get in touch with you when we need to and you can get in touch with us. If you are in a bad situation, we are only a phone call away," Sandy explained.
So now for the "Leash Laws", Kirsten did the same hand quotes as Seth had done earlier and smirked at Seth as she did so.
"One, if you are not at the house or school, your cellphone will always be on. No excuses. If we try to get in touch with you and you say you did not hear the phone or it was not on, that is worth one week of grounding. No exceptions," Sandy said firmly.
"See, what did I tell you, buddy. It's a leash," Seth nodded his head knowingly.
"Seth, that's enough," Kirsten ordered.
"Two, if you find yourself in a bad situation and need help to get out, call us immediately. If you have had too much to drink, call us, do not drive. We will talk about it the next morning."
"We want you safe, we will just be grateful you called us and did not drive drunk. Of course, we discuss it with you the next day. But that night we will pick you up no questions ask," Kirsten added to Sandy's listing of the rules.
"Three, if we call you because you have missed curfew. When you pick up the phone, your first words should be, "I'm sorry. I am on my way home now, please don't ground me," Sandy chuckled as he said the last part.
Kirsten smiled as well. "Of course, you will be grounded unless you have a really, really good excuse."
"Four, if you tell us you are going someplace and those plans change, you are to call us and let us know where you will be and what the new plans are."
"Leash," Seth whispered.
"Five, this phone is not for chatting with friends for hours at time. You can do that with the house phone. This phone is for us to be in contact with you and for your safety. Of course, you can use it to make quick calls to friends but do not waste your minutes on that. Six, if we think of any other rules those are to be followed also."
Ryan had sat in silence and nodded after each instruction. As Sandy finished he looked down at the phone, and thought 'Leash is right'. He felt a little overwhelmed at the moment. No one had ever been concerned about his whereabouts before. His mother rarely knew where his was and he was glad. He also knew he could never call her if the situation went bad, either she would have been too drunk to help or if she did show up it would mean a beating when he got home. He wasn't sure he could live up to all of these "Leash Laws". He would surely screw things up and he would be grounded. But now someone cared that he was safe.
Kirsten and Sandy glanced at each other worriedly.
Kirsten put her hand on Ryan's back and rubbed it gently. "So what do you say, can you live with those rules."
Ryan looked into her eyes and then quickly back down at the phone. "Yeah, sure. I can."
Kirsten heart jumped a little at what she saw in his eyes. His eyes were glistened with tears, that he quickly covered by looking back down. 'Was he unhappy with the rules.' She continued to rub his back and said, "Ryan it is really just for your safety and our peace of mind. We are not trying to keep you from having fun. Just fun that is safe."
"Yeah, sure, I know…Thanks guys….for the phone. It's just…I'm going to screw it up."
Sandy laughed and slapped him on the back, "Of course, you will and that's when we get to go all parental on you and do fun stuff like ground you. That's what we parents live for, right, Seth."
Seth jumped up off the floor and wrapped his arms around his father as if to restrain him and said, "Run, free yourself, escape while you still have a chance at a normal life."
But Ryan didn't move, he stayed and laughed as Sandy struggled with Seth and Kirsten wrapped her arm around his shoulder. This was normal enough for him and leashes just might keep you safe.