My “vacation” this week consists of caring for my son and granddaughter while their mothers have a real vacation in the Caribbean. Oh, I’m also checking work email intermittently because… well, just because. On Monday morning as Maddy napped, Kyle and I caught an episode of this year’s “Rescue Me” on the DVR. In one scene, the boys sat around the firehouse table and debated whether, given the choice, they’d give up “an eye or a nut.” I don’t recall who chose what, but later as Kyle, Maddy and I dominated the left lane toward Nana’s house, I asked Kyle for his opinion on the “eye or a nut” question.

Dad: “Kyle, do you remember that scene today when the guys were talking about whether they’d give up an eye or a nut?”
Kyle: “You mean ‘Rescue Me?’”
Dad: “Yeah, so which would you pick?”
Kyle: (a little embarrassed) “I don’t know. What would you?”
Dad: “Oh, a nut for sure. What about you?”
Kyle: (after some thought) “An eye.”
Dad: “Whoa, really?”
(Now at 17 and hormones raging, obviously Kyle’s nuts are much more important to him than mine are to me at 50, but his rationale just cracked me up.)
Kyle: “Yeah, then I could get an eye-patch like Captain Hook.”
Dad: (laughing and thinking… “Yeah, and keep the boys.”)

Maddy had no comment…