THAT'S my boy...

We were at the pool, because I was trying to appease my kids a bit since I'm spending so much time away from home these days. I didn't want to go...I had a headache and a ridiculously expensive textbook to read. But, I went anyway.

They older two can swim...and the little one is learning. He's completely capable, but, has a few kinks to work out before I would consider him a swimmer.

He's always been reckless around the water...completely fearless. He's nearly drowned...oh, half a dozen times in his life. But, it's been over a year since his last near-drowning...so, I'd say we're making progress. I still have to watch him like a hawk because he gets a little over-confident and desperately tries to keep up with big brother.

I'm watching the kid...and I see a snot-nose little brat come up and take Jack's tube and swim off. My boy doesn't let anything go without a fight...so he started swimming after the kid. This kid is little. Maybe 3.

Now, I'm a mom. Meaning that on the day that my first born was squeezed out of my uterus...I acquired the ability to forsee one minute into the future as it pertains to children.

Like, when I'm walking into the grocery store and my kid has his "school shoes" on, and a puddle is five strides ahead...I instinctively say, "You step in that puddle and you're dead, mister."

Or, if I catch my boy with his finger in his nose, and during his digital retreat, I see his eyes divert towards the treasure he has un-nosed...without thinking I say, "If you eat that booger, you're penis will turn green, capiche?"

I can see the future...most moms can.

So, I was watching this thing go down. I knew what was going to happen. Jack was going to chase down the little klepto, into the deeper water, take back his tube, and unintentionally leave the perp to drown.

It happened just as I saw it in my head, and the little thief went under the water. I could only see the very top of his dark hair above it. The kid was starting to bounce off the bottom of the pool to try to catch a breath. His attempts were futile.

I was anxiously waiting for the kids' mom to intervene. She didn't...apparently, she had plans of dethroning me as the "Shittiest Mom of the Year" and had no clue any of this was going on. About fifteen seconds passed. My attention was focused on this little one...I wasn't watching mine as close.

A little bit pissed at this mother's incompetence, I decided it was time to step in. As I got up from the lounger, I glanced back to the kid...and was surprised by what I saw....

My boy had wrapped his arms around this kid, lifted him, and was swimming...the klepto in tow. My boy swam him to shallower water. When he got to the steps Jack lifted the boy and carried him completely out of the pool.

My heart swelled...my boy had saved him.

With his tube back in his possession and the boy safely back on dry land...Jack raced back to the other side of the pool. After all, he'd missed out on a full three minutes of horseplay...he had shit to do.

As he ran past me, I hollered, "Hey! Jack...did you just save that little boy?"

Over his shoulder, without looking back, he yelled, "Yeah, Mom...he couldn't swim. I had to help him. I'm like a Lifeguard, or something!"

"Yeah, son...just then...you kinda were."