Tori, My Tori

My youngest son, K2 is a natural born charmer. He was blessed at birth with the ability to captivate and endear himself to anyone who he deems worthy of his attention. In his eight years he has learned to use this skill to his advantage, though he is a sensitive child and defiantly not a user of others affections. K2 has the most off-the-wall sense of humor, and his quick spur of the moment wit is a delight. The fact that his sparkly enormous eyes are lined with lashes any mashera modal would envy certainly helps. Best part is when his wide infectious toothy gins spreads across his face, and his eyes reflect his joy.

K2 also values things of beauty. He is the first to notice art of any form, senerey, and yes, women. Standing in a check out line K2 noticed the young high school clerk running the till and when it was our turn to pay,he sweetly taps her hand for attention. In his best, then five year old voice he tells her, "You are very, very pretty!". Witch of course he whole heartedly meant. The delighted lovely young lady then smiles and leans over the counter to kiss the top of his head. This was the beginning of many such encounters until at one point I had to have a talk with K2 on the subject of being a "player". When I explained this concept to him, he looked up at me with all earnest and replied, "But Mom, I really think they are beautiful, I wouldn't say something I don't mean".

A short time after school started a year ago, K2 happily came home with the news there was a now girl starting school and he was lucky to be her first friend. Her name was Tori, short for Victoria. K2 talked increasingly often of Tori. At one point Tori was even K2's desk partner until the teacher had to separate them for being too "chatty". K2's grades dropped around this time and his teacher send home a note explaining K2 was offtask and no longer volunteering to class discussion. When I asked my son why this was, he explained, "My Tori can't see the board, so I read the words for her". Awwwww. When helping his older brother hang a dirt-bike poster on his bedroom wall, a picture of a bike and a volumptous scantily dressed woman, K2 made the comment, "I wish I had a picture of my dirt bike to hang on my wall". K1 then commented, "And a girl! You need a girlfriend." K2 glibly answers, "Yes my Tori". Having never seen his Tori because she started the school year after pictures were taken, I imagined an underdeveloped Brittany Spears type girl posing in a swim suit and heels and trying her best to look provocative.
This year began and K2 was gleeful when he found out Tori was to be in his class again. His second grade teacher never did assign Tori to sit right next to him, but a reprimand did come home that K2 was being disruptive in the halls. K2 explained when I questioned his behavior that Tori had broken her glasses and he helped her walk. Awww again.
The day of his classes big field trip and I volunteer to chaperone. I arrive with my son early to his classrooms and seize the opportunity to read all of the thirty some kids name tages hoping to spot the little girl who had so encaptured my son's heart. What a unexpected surprise. It took me a long time to see the quiet little girl with the thick coke bottom glasses held together with tape. Tori's fine uneven brown hair had obviouly been cut by a pair of very dull sissors. Her well-worn clothes were from an older sibling. The few times I did see her smile, I understood perhaps why she did not want her smile to be obvious. Tori has a gentle grace and dignity way beyond her years. Befitting her name, Victoria has an erethral classic beauty one had to look past the surface to see.
I happily followed my son and his love/buddy that day. I envy the innocence of there friendship and affection. On the long bus ride home, from behind my reflective glasses I watched my son use his new "moves". Huddled shoulder to shoulder, three in a seat, K2 would hold a note between himself and Tori. Tori, of course would have to stay close to read it with my son. K2 would at times reach over to encouraging pat her back as she read with him. He would then look deeply into her eyes, then at her mouth, and back up at her eyes, back at her mouth, not wanting to make the fist move by pursing his lips but wanting her to be the aggressor buy giving her these subtle signals. I was very glad for my dark glasses when Tori did lean in close for a kiss, as I'm sure they would have not been so obvious if they had known they were being watched,but also to hide the tears that leaked out of my eyes at this tender scene.