A wander down memory lane - basketball, underwear and freeballin

I read her post today and it spark a memory that I laughed about all over again and decided it needed to go into the annals of history.

When Corbin was in middle school he played on the 9th grade basketball team.  He is a very talented ball player and extremely athletic.  Practices were early mornings before school so he would pack his bag with shower stuff and just get ready at school for the day.

One morning, shortly after school started and I was long at work, I received the following phone call:

Corbin:  "Mom, can you come get me, I don't feel well."

Me: "What's going on?  What do you mean you don't feel well, you were fine this morning.  What's up?"

Corbin:  (voice lowering) "I  just don't FEEL well."

Me:  (suspecting something other than illness, swamped at work, and no option of getting him anyway) "I'm sorry dude, I have meetings and I really cannot leave work.  You're gonna need to stick it out."

Corbin:  (voice lowered more) "But Mom, I REALLY need to go home"

Me:  "Corb, I'm sorry, you know I would if I could, but I can't leave today"

Corbin:  (voice barely audible) "But Mom, I forgot to pack extra underwear, I have none and I am freeballin it.  I can't stay at school like this all day."

Me:  *silence while I am fighting back the urge to laugh hysterically*  "What do you mean you forgot extra underwear, were is the underwear you were wearing when you left the house?"
Corbin:  (still whispering)  "Mooooom, I shower in my underwear.  You know, so I don't make the other guys feel bad, and so now they are wet and I don't have another pair."

Me:  (seriously fighting the laughing and racking my brains as to whether or not I should find a way to bail him our or allow him to suffer the natural consequences.  Not to mention that I am processing his statement of 'making the other guys feel bad')  "Dude, I don't know what to tell you.  I can't leave, I guess you are stuck either with wet underwear or going with out.  Sorry, but I have a meeting and I have to go."

I went on with my work day not really thinking about it again since I know the kid is resourceful and will figure something out.

Fast forward to later that day in the early afternoon.

Debs:  "Hey how is Corbin doing, is he all right?"

Me: "Uh, he's fine, why?"

Debs: "Oh, he called me from the school and was sick and since you couldn't go get him and I'm on your approved list, he called me and I ran over and brought him home.  Is he doing okay?  I was worried about him"

Me:  LAUGHING OUT LOUD !! "Deb - you have been duped!  The kid wasn't sick.  He had no underwear and didn't want to spend the day 'freeballin' it!" 

Debs:  *silence*

Me:  "Thanks for being such a great friend and second mom to that boy, but next time he calls you to pick him up - check with me first."


As  I remembered this whole situation, I found myself laughing again.  Sure I was ticked that he finagled assistance when I wanted him to deal with his consequences, but the whole thing is so HIM! 
Resourceful.  Persuasive.  Determined.
The qualities that I failed to recognize greatness in at that moment, I certainly see and appreciate in him as an adult.

And for the record, the boy has never been forced to have to 'freeball' it ever again!