I want to get up!

Friday morning, 720 a.m., Tony told Dad that he wanted to get up.  Dad thought this was a tremendous occurrence and rushed to the bathroom to tell Tony's mother while she was showering. Dad had expected resistance from Tony about getting up and going to school, and so became so instantly filled with optimism that he even thought Tony wanted to go to school.

The optimistic feeling continued because Tony was actually helping his father dress him unlike the previous dressings of Tony which were usually wrestling matches.  Dad was so impressed with Tony's behavior that he gave him a hug.  In fact, they together had a long hug and Dad was feeling warm all over.  Moments of parent--child affection are glorious.

But then Tony told Dad, in his soft pleading way of saying he wanted something (as opposed to his shrill whining way), that he didn't want to go to school.

Well. You can't expect to get everything you desire in one quick go of it and so the improvement was still a great thing to behold, even if hopes were dashed.  But they were only dashed ever so slightly.