Intimidation

Jude's been asking for a cold lunch to take to school.  [He's been having the school's hot lunch.]

Last week I joined him for the first time at his school for lunch and it all became clear.

He has this friend.  He seems like a good friend for my boy from what I could tell over our 1/2 hour together.

We're lined up at the cafeteria table...me, Jude, and his bud.

Jude and I are sitting there with our hot lunches.  Then his friend pulls out his lunch box.  THE lunch box.

Jude's friend opened his ultra cool lunchbox, lifted out two ice packs, then his organic chocolate milk, a Lunchable, drinkable yogurt with curly straw, string cheese, and an organic fruit rope.

When I told a friend the story later she said...was it like light beamed down from heaven when he opened it? Yes, exactly.

I think I was staring.

Wow.

And then I felt it.  Intimidation by the packed lunch.  Big time.  Funny how a lunch can bring up the mom insecurities.

I've never delivered a lunch like that one.  Not even on my best day.

Later that night my husband was saying he was going to pack a cold lunch for Jude for the next day.

I wanted to say...don't do it!  We're not up for it.  I don't want Jude to set his lunch next to his friend's and realize. Realize...I've got a hack sandwich and a clementine and 30 cents for the milk machine.  But indeed he headed off with his lunch box.

He came home happy as always.  I think all is well.

It's just a lunch.