As I mentioned yesterday when Allen is feeling well he has many things that occupy his time. He is also a typical teenager preferring connection with his peers over connection with his family, thus he spends a fair amount of his time at his computer on Skype and/or Facebook.
Conversations with Allen tend to be short and usually involve an exchange of information about schedules or homework. Unless...
Unless Allen is on drugs. When he broke his arm last spring I noticed that when Allen was flying high he was quite talkative. He didn't make a whole lot of sense on morphine but he was quite talkative.
Steroids also make Allen talkative. So while Allen was home from school I spent a good amount of time with him and heard his voice more than I ever do. He told me all about his favorite youtube shows, about his plans for up-grading his computer, about car repair and many other topics that are of no interest to me.
I had to keep reminding myself that I should seize this opportunity to be with Allen. I may not care at all about the plot line of "The Guild" but I do care about Allen. I watched youtube videos he wanted to share with me. I listened and listened and listened.
The steroids have now come to an end. Allen is feeling better (hooray!) and is gradually returning to his lair. But I now know what interests him and what topics of conversation will draw him out.
I also know that if he initiates extended conversations with me that I need to be checking out what substances are entering his body.
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