This morning, as I was volunteering at a charity event, I noticed that I had received two missed calls from an unfamiliar area code (610).  When I dialed that number, a very polite young man answered and told me that he was with my son CJ at "beach week." He said that CJ's phone was not charged, but that my son had borrowed his phone to wish me a happy mothers day.  He couldn't locate CJ at the moment, but would give him the message that I returned his call.

Not long after, I received notification of another missed call from a different area code, this time one that I recognized (914), a region where several friends of mine reside.  Thinking the call had come from one of those loved ones, I called that number, and again, one of CJ's fraternity brother answered.  He explained that CJ had borrowed his phone to wish me a happy mothers day, and he promised to let my son know that I had phoned.

About two hours later, CJ called, this time from his own number. 

"Mom – Why are you calling all of my friends?" he asked. 

I told him that I was just returning my mystery missed calls.  He said that he had left me voicemails with instructions NOT to bother his friends, even though he had indeed used their phones to wish me a happy mothers day.  I told him that Verizon hadn't yet gotten it together to notify about my voicemails.  And besides, even if they had, if kids don't ever listen to voicemails, why should I? 

Then, because the Lakers were in the middle of an epic loss, I played the part of the sensitive mom, and did not ask why, after months of no communication, he hadn't waited until his phone was charged to get in touch.