To the Top of Half Dome and Beyond

摘要

My son is 15 now. I'm a slipknot from 57; his father, Mort, still older. The past year was difficult for all of us. While Eric's demands for independence were over the top, his sense of responsibility was often lacking. His respect for us dropped precipitously, our intelligence paling in comparison to that of his young friends. Mort and I were sometimes able to laugh about it, as was Eric, but the power struggles left us exhausted. It was like being in the ring: Mort and I would take punches until we were on the ropes, then swing blindly to get off them. We couldn't get our bearings and looked ahead to adolescence with horror. We knew we were not going to get our boy back. Eric was looking to begin his own life.