My Week With Caden

Due to laziness, this story is one that I dug up from three years ago, which was before I had a computer, and only typed stories on my typewriter, with the hopes of someday getting them published. Kristy and I were living in Geneva Nebraska at this time, and the kid's and grand-kid's were all in the Hays, Kansas area, so we didn't get to see them very often. I worked in bridge construction, and we got laid- off for a month every winter, which is what prompted me to bring my little buddy Caden, ( who was three years old at the time), to Nebraska, to spend a fun-filled week with grandpa and grandma, (who was smart enough not to take her vacation during this time period, leaving grandpa to deal with our "wildest" model of grand-child at that particular time by himself). The story starts out the day all the kid's went back home to Kansas, after celebrating a "late" Christmas with us. Grandpa received quite an education from this three year old, Tasmanian Devil. Keep in mind, we weren't used to having small children around. Day 1 (30 Dec 07); What a beautiful day! The kid's, dogs, and surplus grand-kid's have gone home, leaving just me and Kristy and my little fishing buddy, Caden, behind. Caden is bright and giggly! This promises to be a great week! (Day 2); Beautiful day outside! Grandma's back to work at the store, Lindsay's at a friends house, and Caden and I are outside playing in the snow, as opposed to being inside watching a college New Years eve bowl game, where it's warm and comfortable. (Day3); Lindsay headed back to college this morning, leaving just me and Caden together in this house of horrors. There is another college football bowl game on, but Caden demands to go sledding and throw snowballs and giggle. I soldier onward! (Day 4); What a dreary day outside! Looks like Caden and I are stuck inside today. I don't know what we'll do, but I'm sure we'll do it his way. Playdough? Leggos? I feel trapped, and with no clear way to escape, thoughts of suicide often enter my mind! (Day 5); What great prospects this day has! K.U. plays Virginia Tech in the Orange bowl tonight! Maybe Caden will allow me to watch a small portion of it! Maybe he'll go to sleep early, and I can watch it all! Maybe I'm just fooling myself. I've decided that if we do move back to Kansas to be closer to the grand-kids, I will find a seven day a week job, out of town, somewhere. (Day6); Caden woke up crying in a semi-violent manner this morning at 4:30 am. With no apparent injuries or illnesses, I safely assume that the child needs an excorcist, or at the very least a tarot card reading from a concerned psychic. As the evil spirit left him in the mid-morning, I took him to the park, and then we went sledding and had pizza. Although he smiled and giggled alot, I realized that his contentment would only be temporary. If I can survive one last night, I will return him to his lair the first thing in the morning! God help us all! (Day 7); What a happy day this is! After merely a dozen or so "potty" breaks, and lot's of snippy conversation, we have completed the trip back to Hays, and released the little monster back into his own dwelling! The drive home is relaxing, yet lonely, as I miss him already. I hold my wife close to me as we go down the highway, stroking her hair, and quietly contemplate ways to kill her if she should ever become pregnant! As we amber along the highway, back towards Nebraska, Kristy asks me if I still want to move back to Kansas in order to be closer to the grand-kid's. I never answered. I was still thinking about moving, though, and wondering what the weather would be like in say, Vermont? I hear it's beautiful there in the spring and fall, and................