Andrew and the Police

When the high school calls, it is never good. NEVER. Nothing fun, nothing pleasant—just pure, heart-dropping, stomach-sinking dread. And today was no exception.

I got a call from Andrew’s school… from the police officer assigned to the campus. Always a fantastic way to start the morning.

He tells me Andrew was caught—on camera, of course—doing donuts and burnouts in the school parking lot before class. Full Fast & Furious: Homeroom Drift. And because Andrew had a passenger with him, the officer informed me this wasn’t just “boys being boys,” oh no… this fell under reckless driving and reckless endangerment.

He very politely let me know he could write Andrew a ticket.
He could take his license.
And the school could issue him a referral.

Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. Just what every mom wants to hear on a day where Dad is out of town. Of course he is. This kind of stuff only happens when Dad is gone—it’s like the universe sees him leave and immediately whispers, “Release the chaos.”

So I text Andrew:

Me: Andrew, the police just called me.
Andrew: Yeah… I got a story for you.
Me: You’re on camera. And the extra ding is you had another person in your car. They can take your license for this.
Andrew: Yeah, I lost a bet. This isn’t good.
Me: Andrew. They. Can. Take. Your. License.
Andrew: Yeah, that’s… not great.
Me: Who was in the car with you? They’re calling parents too.
Andrew: I don’t really wanna give him up. He’s a friend. I’m not sure the best strategy here.
Me: Andrew, he’s on camera. You don’t need to tell me, but you cannot do stupid stuff like this.
Andrew: Yeah, I know. It was a screw-up. Won’t happen again.
Me: There are cameras everywhere, and burnouts are reckless driving.
Andrew: Yeah.

I called Christopher, thinking he’d help me strategize or at least share in my stress. Instead, he was far more upset about the wear on our tires than the fact that Andrew was out there doing burnouts on school property like he was auditioning for Fast & Furious: PTA Edition.

This kid loves engines, motors, speed, horsepower—you name it. If it goes fast, he’s obsessed with it. But does he really have to express that passion on school property, at 8am, with cameras pointed at every square inch of the parking lot?!?!

Seriously. Love this boy, but my blood pressure cannot keep up with his hobbies.