As I watched L exit the bus, it was abundantly clear he had something on his mind. Something serious. He climbed the stairs without making eye contact and when he reached the porch he announced, “Mom, we need to talk…on the couch.”

The couch!? The one with a patched hole that I want to replace every time I sit on it? The couch is big time, the real deal, Superior Court. And, when L summons me to the couch, it is always with a bit of trepidation as his need for talk could be anything from “the problem with love letters at school” to “Mom, I know you’re gonna be disappointed but today at school I…”

I digress.

We sat, he leaned forward elbows to his knees and folded his hands not unlike Judge Wapner. He began, “Mom, do you remember when you said it’s ok to say a bad word if what you’re calling a bad word is really a bad word?”

Hold the phone. No, I don’t recall imparting that golden nugget of parental wisdom and the perplexion on my face gave me away. So, with his “uh, duh mom” voice he continued, “Mom! You know, when you said it’s ok to use the “c” word if something is actually the “c” word?”

I amaze myself and as such sat in the silence of my own magnificence as yet unable to recall the moment I related such brilliance. With annoyance, he dug deeper, “Remember mom, you said if something is ‘crap’ it’s ok to call it ‘crap’ like ya know, ‘it is what it is’?!”

My memory continued to fail me, but I prodded him to continue. “Well, I have to be very honest with you mom, I am feeling exactly like a swear word right now but I think it’s TOTALLY appropriate considering the circumstances.” (He sounded like George Costanza just then, I’m not even kidding.)

Now, this could have gone a couple different ways. I bit my lower lip in anticipation of the details that would justify the use of a swear.

He proceeded, “It is mom, it is totally appropriate that I feel like this swear word! I am PISSED off!”

And, praise be to Jesus that you do little man, because if you felt like the “S” word or the “F” word or any of the more refined swears, I would have to mourn the continued erosion of innocence.

Yet, it begs the question, “Why do you feel that way?”

“Well, ya know how some of my Pokemon cards were stolen? We found out who it is. It was “Bobby” (name changed to protect the fledgling criminal). Bobby lied to me, he betrayed me, and I am PISSED!”

I could see he was relishing in the visceral release that accompanies the emphasized utterance of a swear. Get it out little man, this is one of the hard parts, betrayal, lying, finding who your friends really are. You’re right, couch-worthy talk indeed.

I inquired, “do you know for absolute certain?”

“Yep, Mr. Teacher helped me solve it and Bobby confessed! He wrote me an apology note and told me he would earn back my trust by leaving my Pokemon cards alone. I told him, “I accept your apology Bobby, but you don’t even need to bother trying to earn back my trust by leaving my cards alone because my mom banned me from ever bringing them to school again thanks to YOU!”

Mmm, the heart-pain induced jab back. To be expected.

Mom sigh. Boy tears.

I stepped in for the close, “Buddy, I’m so sorry this happened, I’m sorry you feel betrayed by someone you considered a friend. I’m sorry this hurt your heart. I wish I could say you’ll never feel this again, but the truth is, sometimes life gives us a bit of a punch in the throat and all I can promise you is if you really forgive, keep loving anyway and walk forward with your head high, you will be stronger for it.”

I loved on him and we laughed about the “P” word. And, I decided to keep our worn leather couch with a hole, cuz it fits. Life is about hole patching, scuff removing and the occasional decorative throw pillow to disguise the scars. Yep, this couch, totally appropriate considering the circumstances.