And Then Came Bo

Toby and I had been married two years, and then came Bo. We were one of the first couples to get married in our group of friends, and certainly the first to have a child. We were just babies ourselves. We took Bo everywhere with us. He was just a few weeks old when I would put him in the two-dollar garage sale stroller and walk up the hill in San Marcos to meet Toby after class. Sometimes we would take the student bus to campus and walk down the hill to the married housing where we lived. The college students were awed by Bo. Toby worked construction in San Marcos and on Fridays the crew would meet at one of the pubs for some pool playing and beer. We took Bo and set his car seat on a pool table. Everyone looked after him. After we moved to Dallas, I would often pack a picnic lunch in Bo’s diaper bag, take the same stroller, catch the bus to downtown Dallas, and meet Toby for lunch. We would walk down to the memorial park across the street from where Kennedy was shot (downtown Dallas was not big on parks back then) and eat our lunch. Then we would take the bus home – the black ladies on the bus loved Bo’s blond hair and blue eyes. In fact, Bo took his first steps down the sidewalk in Dallas waiting for Toby to come from work on those same buses. We bought bicycles and a seat for Bo at a flea market and often rode around White Rock Lake - not very safe, but it was the way it was. Bo went where we went, did what we did, and ate what we ate – we didn’t know any better.

Maybe because we wagged him everywhere, he grew up with us. Don’t get me wrong; he loved playing with other kids, but our friends did not have kids yet – he spent a lot of time with adults. Bo was always such a little man. He loved learning. We had several nicknames for him such as The Little Professor, Mr. Baggett, Bo Knows, Mr. Facts and Statistics, etc. Bo kept a meticulous notebook of baseball cards. He would draw out tournament play for the World Cup Soccer games. He would make amazing 3-D toys out of paper and junk. And he was competitive in all things. He had all our grown friends playing imaginary baseball with him- and he always won.

He still loves learning, making things, and is very competitive, but today he turns 30 years old. He is married to a wonderful woman and has my two precious GGs. God blessed us with Bo. He has been an awesome kid, son, and man. He has never given us a moment’s problem – always moving straight up the mountain.

Bo,
Just like it was yesterday, I remember the day you were born. I remember taking you in my lap and looking you over for any flaws. All I found was your frownie-face birthmark. You weren’t too attractive that first morning, but I remember the love I felt for you was almost overwhelming. You may be a grown man with your own family, but I still feel that love for you. Happy 30th Birthday!