"Bye, Dad!"

The 12 year old takes a bus this year, so it's just the 9 year old and I walking over to school in the morning.

I walk. He scooters.

We don't really travel up to school together. We go as far as the bike rack. I'm required to see him from the door to the bike rack, but once the scooter's locked up, my job is done. I'm not allowed to walk him right to the school doors. He locks the scooter, pockets the key, gives me a quick "Bye, Dad!" and, without so much as a glance back, charges off to join the other kids making their way into school.

Bye, my little boy.