I got off work this morning as a 911 dispatcher at 0700 hrs. Driving home (35 miles) my 14 year old boy calls me and says he is too sick to go to school. Now keep in mind, school has been in session 3 weeks, and he has had this mysterious intestinal malady 5 times so far this school year. So he says he has it again. I tell him to wait till I get home, but I'm pretty sure he is ok, and I tell him to prepare to go to school.
I finally arrive home, spy on him from behind the door, and there he is in bed, cartoons on, empty cereal bowl on his bedside table, and video game in hand. I walk in to the room, the video game goes under the covers, the tv gets turned off remotely, and he proceeds to raise the back of his wrist to his forehead, and moan, while he grabs his stomach with his other hand.
I say, "Gosh, you look terrible, and I am really worried about your bowels....I'm calling the doctor right now." No he says, I just need medicine. So I gather pepto, alka seltzer, immodium, tums, and aspirin, tell him to take it all, as I dial Popcorn, ( you know, that 757, any 4 digit number that tells you the time).
I say, "Hello, yes, this is Zac's mom, and I am worried about him, and need to have an emergency visit. He has diahreah for the 6th time in two weeks, and he's too sick to get out of bed. (Keep in mind, I am hearing the time every 10 seconds, so it's hard to cencentrate, and I have my back to Zac as I pace his room with my free hand on my hip) I continue with, "OH.....Oh MY!....Uh HUH, oooooh, an anal probe? Oh my, that sounds serious, Uh Huh, yes, I understand, How far up do you go!? Is that necessary? oh I see, uh huh, yes, yes, ok, yes we'll be right down, thank you." then hang up the phone.
As I turn around, there is my previously deathly ill son, all 5'11 of him, dressed, back pack on his shoulder, pushing past me as he says, "I'm not goin in for an anal probe, I'm goin to school.". I say, "Wait, I just made you a doctor appointment, and if I cancel with less than 24 hour notice it will cost me 30 bucks." He stops, grabs his wallet, hands me the 28 dollars in it, says "I'll borrow the other 3 from a friend", and out the door he goes.