roommate issues (lyn)

At eleven, when I finally insist that Alexander get up, the conversation goes something like this.

Me:  Do you want eggs for breakfast?

Alexander:  Ya, that would be great.

Me:   When you’re done with breakfast, I have a few things I want you to do.

Alexander:  You have an amazing ability to turn everything into a nag.

While he’s been sleeping, I have:

• Gone out and bought fruit.
• Brought his shirts to the cleaners.
• Washed the blueberries.
• Washed and cut up all the strawberries.
• Unloaded the dishwasher.
• Pulled old poster boards and a foosball game out from under his bed, and cleaned and dusted his room.
• Reviewed the shelves in our living room, making a pile of old games that I think Alexander no longer uses or wants. 
• Cleaned out the bottom of a big closet, tossing old binders, an old answering machine that I will never use again, etc.
• Reviewed all our DVD’s and made a pile for Alexander to review before I give them away.
• Made coffee (ok, not much credit is due here; my Keurig requires little effort).
• Wrapped two large graduation gifts.
• Talked to a couple of friends and my mother.

Alexander reluctantly gets out of bed.  He showers.  I make him a 3-egg omelet with blueberries and strawberries on the side.  I tell him that he needs to help me with a few things when he’s done.

With his friends, Alexander is calm and easy-going.  I never see him get upset or raise his voice with anyone besides me.  In the past I’ve said, “You know, I think because you are so comfortable with me, you think it’s okay to sometimes yell at me.  Well it’s not.   I don’t want you to grow up and think it’s ok for you to yell at your wife or girlfriend the way you sometimes yell at me.”

So today, as I’m reviewing with Alexander the things I’d like him to do, he says, “Mom, you know how you are always telling me that I sometimes get so angry at you, but you never see me that angry with anyone else.  And remember how you always say it’s because I am so comfortable with you?  Well did you ever consider that maybe you're the only person I get angry at because you are the most annoying person in the world?"  

Hmmm.  

But really, should I have to tell my son to unpack three days after he’s come home form a long weekend and his suitcase is still sitting unopened in the living room?

Or to remind him for the 40^th time to fill out the required forms for Cornell, some of which are already past due?

Or to please make his bed which hasn’t been made all week?

Or a million other things.

Still, he’s my most favorite roommate ever, and when he leaves, I’ll be very sad.