Mommies Magazine

The Courtship of Eddie’s Mother

Posted on 06. Oct, 2006 by LynneMarie Mack in Your Home

The Courtship of Eddie’s Mother

When it comes to my son Eddie one song that stays on my mind is the opening song for the television series The Courtship of Eddie’s father, do you remember it, “People let me tell you ‘bout my best friend.” Well that song was an absolute inspiration for me when naming my son. But ultimately I named my son after my father, Edward Mack. But it is that song that rings in my head when I think of my son.

My son came back from his vacation potty trained as my brother and his wife said he would. I love them for that, and could never repay them for the time that they took out for Eddie. Eddie enjoyed a wonderful summer of playing at the beach, cookouts, Summer Bible School, Six Flags, and going to the movies. It wasn’t until we went to one of the Kiddy amusement parks that turned my summer into a nightmare.

There we are having fun riding on the rollercoaster and then taking pictures with some of the characters when a tornado of children all ran up at the same time to hug the character. I placed the camera up to face to take Eddie’s picture and when I took the camera away he was gone. The character walked away and all the children disappeared as fast as they had appeared. I became stiff with fear.

“Eddie” I called. Afraid to move I began to turn around, and around calling Eddie. Other concerned mothers began asking me; what does he have on, what does he look like? One mother suggested that I go to the lost and found. That was not option. I was not going to leave the spot that I last saw my son. Now I knew how Jodie Foster’s character felt in the movie Flight Plan, when she thought she lost her daughter in the airport.

I began calling for Eddie for what seemed like a year. I screamed out for him, each time louder and more authoritive than before, hoping that he would answer me. Or that whoever may have grabbed him would let him go and bring my son back to me. I was beginning to think of all kinds of scenarios. I thought how could I go home without my son. I thought about the many other parents who have lost their children to kidnappers and never saw there children again. I thought about every parent who has lost a child and have to live the rest of their lives without their precious child. I thought about my life without Eddie and I began to get angry and called one more time to him as if I could move mountains with my voice. Finally from a distance I saw a woman emerge from the crowd holding the hand of a little boy. I could tell from where I was that it was Eddie. I called to him one more time, this time more relieved than sounding like a desperate mother. She turned him over to me, and I don’t even think I said thank you in my relief that my son was back in my arms.

Every time now when I hold my son, I hold him knowing that I am blessed to have a son and blessed each day that he is in my life. Any moment could be our last time together and I want to make sure that I don’t waste any time not loving my son.

Do I still get angry with him, when he is disobedient; yes. But still I love him and cherish his very existence. And then there is that song that rings in my head every time I think of Eddie, “People let me tell you ‘bout my best friend”.