The blue badge

Zach was late from work tonight, which of course meant that Jon was too. See, Jon shuttles Zach to and from the clinic most of the time, though that will be changing soon. Zach isn’t long away from being cleared to drive.

Dot held dinner, but the moment the boys were in the door, she directed them to the table. As I watched the two, I got this growing sense that something was up. I could see it on Jon’s face especially (Jon isn’t one who should ever play poker). “What are you grinning at?” I asked him. He just smiled even more, glanced over to Zach and said, “It’s not for me to say.”

So I looked at Zach.

Zach flashed his bashful grin before holding up his work badge for us to see. It was blue. It had always been green before. Green badges are for volunteers. Blue badges are for employees.

“They made him!” Jon said, as if he couldn’t want another minute. “Our boy is a made man!” And suddenly, there was a great deal of noise around the table.

My pride right now is incalculable. My God, how far we’ve come.