The Lonely Child (Part III)

We're huge Lord of the Rings fans around here. (I have the books in English and German.) I was sitting in the Control Room one day, one ear cocked to hear the conversations in the living room. T.L.C. was being a butt. A real butt. Hyper-Boy was putting up with this. (This was pre-"Fine go home then") I am boiling but stay in my room. Suddenly, a phrase from "The Two Towers" springs to mind. "Stupid, fat hobbit." And I repeat it over and over in my mind in Gollum's voice. I am ashamed. I am afraid something will happen to T.L.C. At this rate it will. Its called drugs and mischief. It may happen to mine too. No one is immune. But there's no reason to give it a head start. Its hard to impress upon someone that children need us MORE as they grow up, not less. Its just a different kind of need. They need supervision, guidance, rules, consequences and love. Love most of all. I wonder if something did happen, whether death or consequences of choices, that they would miss T.L.C. Would they miss the way freckles pop out on his nose during summer? Would they miss his white eyelashes against his sunburned face? Would they miss the silly songs that he sings? Would they miss the way the boys get excited and hyper when playing video games to the point where even I join them (and I hate video games) as T.L.C. shouts directions at Hyper-Boy... "no, no, right there! NO! Speed up, right through there!! That's it! That's it! YOWWWZAAA!!!" And they stand up and high five and shake their butts going "oh yeah, oh yeah, uh huh, oh yeah." Would they miss the way he sticks his tongue out while playing Gameboy? Do they notice enough to miss anything?