A Runaway

Yesterday I asked Zach about something that happened in Florida.  He wasn't in trouble, I just wanted to know the story behind it.  He told me but then Nathan became involved and said he knew what happened also.  So I asked for his version.  Zach got upset and stormed off to his room, not even waiting to hear that their two versions matched perfectly.  So he wasn't in trouble, he just needed a little talk about respecting people's privacy and being kind to others.  I waited several minutes and then went up to his room to talk to him.  He wouldn't talk. He was in the process of packing his backpack with the following items:  jacket, extra clothes, toilet paper, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, pencils, fruit snacks, water, and Life Cereal.  I asked if he was running away and he wouldn't say anything.  So I asked him to at least wait until I returned a few minutes later from running an errand.  He agreed.  I thought he should at least have a cellphone if he was running away, and Eric handed over his but only after trying to convince him not to run away.   I didn't know if I should laugh or cry and I think I did a little of both.   Eric and I left and when I returned a few minutes later, Zach immediately walked out the back door.  I thought I would just follow him but he was walking thru the snow.  I quickly put on my snow boots and then went out the front door hoping that I would spot him so I could follow.  He ran away to the side of the house.  He saw me, I asked him to come home and he just stayed quiet.  Nathan went out a few minutes later and offered him $20 to come back (I can see what kind of parent he will be.)  Still no words from Zach.  A few minutes later I went to check on him again and I spotted him behind the house.  He was dialing on Eric's phone.  I quickly went inside before he saw me and my phone started ringing.  Zach asked me how to get home from Derek's house (a couple miles away).  I offered to come pick him up.  He didn't want a ride and didn't confirm or deny that he was at Derek's house.  So I decided to put the leash on Buzz and take him for a walk.  As soon as I started our walk, Zach came out from the back of the house and wanted to know where I was going.  He joined me with walking Buzz and then he returned home.  He told me it was hard to run with such a heavy backpack.  We're all happy he decided to come home and extra happy that he doesn't know how to drive a car yet.  I'm sure he'll be upset for me posting this but I can't miss an opportunity to tell him this story when he has a 9 year-old child.