Imaginary Friends

When Cody was about 4 years old (I tried to find my notes for the exact date...yes, I had a tab divider in my written organizer back then named "C&C" where I would write down funny things they said so I could use those notes to update their baby books...never got transferred to their baby book...but still have those papers somewhere in my keepsake drawer...and people, this is my keepsake drawer...


very scary...but it will get organized one day and get put into their respective keepsake folders...

which I am sure they will hang on to and cherish for the rest of their lives...right? Yeah, right. I heard I'm doing good if I get a phone call every once in a while when they're grown since I have boys. But I digress...)

Anywho, Cody had 2 imaginary friends back then. One was named Joey, and the other was named Jerry Narron. Jerry Narron was the then manager of the Texas Rangers. Joey, we thought, was a name pulled completely out of his, um, you know "imagination." He played with both friends...and if I remember correctly, Joey was always perfectly behaved, but Jerry had some behavior issues that were always having to be addressed. Cody would have backseat conversations with them...complete with asking us if Joey or Jerry could spend the night with him. We, of course, always said yes. Because we're nice parents like that.

These imaginary friends were a part of Cody's life for a good couple of years. It wasn't over the top...where he would open doors for them or ask for a plate for them at the dinner table or anything, but he would definitely have conversations with them...and of course they would spend the night with him...because once again...we're nice like that.

Imagine my surprise this past June...some 8 years later...when I met THE Joey. Cody was participating in a week long missions project with the CrossTrainers at church and we were talking about his day at the end of day one. He mentioned doing something during that day with his friend Joey. I said "who's Joey?" because I had never met a friend of his from church named Joey. He said, "you know...Joey, the boy who was my imaginary friend when I was little."

I have to tell you...this took me by a huge surprise. I said, "you mean Joey was real back then?" And he proceeded to tell me that he and Joey had gone to Sunday School together basically all their life. I cannot believe I did not know this. I felt so completely and utterly out of touch with evidently someone very important in his life.

I knew then that I would make it a point to at least find out all the kids that he shares his life with...even for an hour on Sunday mornings.

Now, does anyone know where I can find Jerry Narron? I have some things I need to discuss with him.