The Scorekeeper

...day by day and days gone by!

YOU CAN COUNT ON IT!

Several entries ago I introduced you to Philip's movie obsession. Not the titles...not the categories...not the number in his collection. But his need to 'count' them...his need to 'know' the exact number...at any given moment...at all times. The upside to all this is that he hones his counting skills...the down side is that he counts them at the most inopportune times.

Diane and I look forward to Saturday mornings. Not only do we get to sleep in...but we get to...(ooops...sorry, this is a family blog!). This past Saturday we awoke at 6 a.m. (wrong...we were awakened at that ridiculous hour!). A systematic thumping from down the hall accompanied by a muffled, yet audible...what sounded like counting. Thirty-six...thirty-seven...thirty-eight. I looked at Diane...she was smiling! I looked at the clock...started growling! Philip was counting his movies at 6 a.m. and slapping them up against the back of the shelf as he replaced each one from exactly where he'd removed it! Now I smiled (he'd be busy for a while) and reached across the bed...I was determined to commence with what I'd been 'counting' on!

Suddenly the door flew open and there he stood! Fully dressed...a heaping bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios in one hand...a spoon in the other...and a look of complete satisfaction on his face. "Three hundred and fifty-one movies, dad, and that includes my games!". I glared at him with the look of a crazed animal! "Philip", I chided, "last week you only had 251...you've made a mistake." Panic clouded his face...eyeballs bulged...brain cells exploded! "You're right dad, I made a mistake!". It was then I realized I'd just made the biggest mistake of my life!

He ran to his room...put his breakfast on hold...and the ritual began! One...two...three...I looked at Diane - she was smiling! I slowly slid back to my side of the bed...buried my head under the pillows...and resolved to remain there until the world had returned to normal!

Don't believe that will ever happen...and that you can count on!

For years we've asked Philip what he would like to do...job wise. He understands the concept...but has always maintained that he has a job. "I keep scores for a living!"

From the time he was of legal age to be employed we've been challenged with 'opportunities'. The company I worked for hired 'special needs' young adults...but they were clearly capable of performing their tasks, however minor, with minimal or no supervision. Philip, on the other hand, required constant one-on-one attention...which was not always financially feasible. Even something as simple as returning shopping carts at the grocery store would prove disastrous for as soon as he recognized someone he would forsake his duties and strike up an hour-long conversation about the previous night's ball games...who won...who pitched...who homered...who was traded. He knew it all...had to get it off his chest! Perhaps TSN would be interested!

Philip's not lazy. He's just easily distracted...unable to focus for any length of time on one particular thing. And it's not that we haven't subjected him to numerous career opportunities...he's probably had more than most. Take a look...