What Brought You Back

Damion

I pulled up to the school, parking the truck and climbing out. I was hoping the day camp program would be a great way for Oliver to hang out with his friends while possibly learning new stuff. I hated the idea of sending him off while I was at home, but this was something he wanted to do.

“Okay,” I said, prepared to give him a little pep talk.

“See you later, Dad!” he said, rushing up to the front door.

I laughed. It was not the same kid I had dropped off at the summer program in New York. “Can I at least get a hug?”

He turned around and ran back toward me. I gave him a quick hug before releasing him. It was a lot like releasing a caged animal back into the wild. He raced inside the small building and was already down the hall by the time I made it in. The drop off was so much easier and less stiff. There wasn’t a mountain of forms or security guarding the place. It didn’t feel like I was taking him to prison. He was going to be a kid and have fun with other kids. I could hear