Fears

Today as we were getting ready for church, McKay began talking to me about how he's unhappy in his life. He said he just doesn't feel happy each day. After some delicate probing I discovered he is worried about auditioning for the musical Willy Wonka. Initially he told me he wanted to audition so when the director approached me about being the musical director for the show I agreed, thinking it would be a wonderful way to have a theatrical experience with McKay.

Then, the day after I officially accepted the position, McKay told me he was frightened of the audition, so much so that he no longer wanted to do it. I told him he had to. Apparently ever since he's been worrying.

I did my best to listen sympathetically while also trying to get everyone including myself ready and out the door on time to church.

I told McKay that since auditions aren't until the end of October and it's only July that he shouldn't think about it for at least a month, but he persisted.

He talked and talked, complained and cried all the way out the door and into the van. The others had gone to church earlier, so it was just McKay, Lily and I in the van together. As we drove toward the church, McKay continued. Just as he was reaching the height of his oration saying, "And the thing I'm very most afraid of is..."

Lily, who had to this point been listening quietly piped up and cheerfully replied, "Bears?"