449. The question of boots

I want to ask before he tells me. 

'How are the shoes?'

'They're fine, mum. I was careful and I tried not to step in to soggy ground.'

I laugh. He's in a good mood. They won. 65-15.

'Ok, you turn to wash them now.'

'No, you did such a good job. The whole team want their shoes clean now.'

His turn to laugh. 

The shoes stay in the hall. I take them out of the bag to 'air' them as they don't smell yet. I think he will see them and wash them. He doesn't.

'You've got training tonight?'

I ask in an innocent unconcerned voice. I know he has. But I need to introduce the question:

'Which shoes are you taking to go training?'

'The ones I was careful not to dirty too much.'

My son has got a sense of humour. Now a sense of cleanliness is what we need.

I think he is going to take an other pair and that is annoying because it means two pairs to clean instead of one. And how on earth does he manage when he's away from home? Do all these 50 odd guys wear dirty boots all the time? Are there 50 mums out there bleaching and pink-pasting rugby boots? Is there a website? a You-tube channel? a Facebook group? Rugby Mums vs Smelly Boots?

I remember all these years back when our kids' shoes were cleaner because the ground was drier and we had different problems. How can he come back with just one shoe? I shrugged my shoulder, I didn't know but secretly I was pleased I did not have to deal with this type of problems. And you know, the worst thing is nobody has mentioned having three boots at home!

Now they're young adults and they can count up to 2 but just.

'Maybe we could go shopping? You know it's Christmas, you're happy to have me back and ... I need boots! Clean shiny rugby boots!'

It looks like he gets the last laugh. I sigh and wave hime away him and his smelly shoes.