Feeding A Fifteen Year Old - Update

     Page One Hundred-Three.
     My relationship with the kid is progressing. Last Friday we got to talking about restaurant breakfasts. I told him about IHOP's early bird breakfast special: two pancakes, two eggs, two pieces of meat, coffee and the morning paper, all for $3.99. As far as I'm concerned, that's the best deal on the planet. They don't advertise it either, I discovered it purely by accident when I went in there very early one day a couple of years ago. I was placing my order and the waitress suggested that I'd save money with the special. She was right, but it's only available on business days 6AM-9AM. (I'm in Cleveland, epicenter of low prices. I don't know if the price changes in other cities.)
     So Shem was amazed by this special and I suggested that we go check it out sometime. He was all for it and we decided on the following Monday, which would have been two days ago.
     I said, "what time should I pick you up? 8.30? 8.45?"
     "You can pick me up at 8."
     "Do you really think you'll get up.
     "Yes. For something like this. Yeah."
     "I'll really be pissed if you stand me up."
     He smiled.
     "Seriously. You better not stand me up."
     "I won't. I promise."
     "Uh Huh."
     He promptly stood me up. He was sound asleep.
     So, when I went back many hours later to make him his dinner he came out and said, "I'm sorry".
     I glared at him. 
     He started his well rehearsed apology. "Do you remember when you were a teenager?"
     I busted up laughing. "That's the best opening line of an apology I've ever heard. Good for you. Congratulations on your creativity. I'm sure Shakespeare never was so creative."
     He proceeded to explain that he got his days confused because of his summertime lack of structure. That's why he was up until who knows when playing video games. I accepted his apology and we'll reschedule for sometime next week. Also, he ultimately forgave me for inflicting feelings of guilt upon him because I made beef tips with sauteed mushrooms, red peppers and onions in thin sauce over wide noodles for dinner. Teenagers... What to do, what to do, what to do?!?!
     We're getting along famously.