Conversation with Michael the last night he was here

Me: Have you seen any ghosts lately?
Michael: Not really.
Me: Do you ever get the feeling that there are aliens here?
Michael: Yes.
Me: How so?
Michael: Just that when someone's not telling the truth, I wonder if they're from outer space.

(Michael and I aren't so different after all...)

Me: Do you like this place?
Michael: Yes, because you can hear everything.
Me: Do you feel like I made the right choice with this place?
Michael: You should have gotten it sooner.
Me: I don't think this city was available to me sooner.

We talked about our mom. He tells me that I sing better than her because I sing "loud and high" and she can't.

Michael: She doesn't like to show her emotions.
Me: Mom's hard to train, isn't she?
Michael: Yes, she is.
Me: Does dad show his emotions?
Michael: Yes, he knows how.
Me: Can you?
Michael: I can sing loud and high.
Me: No you don't. You rarely sing. Do you mean you sing loud inside, even though we can't hear you?
Michael: Yes.
Me: So inside, your singing is loud and full of emotion, but you just look quiet to us.
Michael: Yes.
Me: And that's just the way it is?
Michael: That's just the way it is.

We talked about our dad. Michael said that Dad is a lot calmer and takes things easy now. He told me that our dad used to spank him with a belt. What? I didn't know this. He said, just once. The way he described it, it sounded like my dad might have been drunk.

Michael: Dad came into my room one night and spanked me with a belt. He came in, he could barely talk or walk. He got mad because I was being defiant and he spanked me. But it's over now. He regrets and he knows it's not okay.
Me: Have you talked about it?
Michael: I told him, I didn't like what he did then, but I forgive him.
Me: Did you really say this to him.
Michael: I thought about saying it.
Me: Promise me you will.
Michael: Okay.
Me: Promise me you won't forget. It will be important for him.
Michael: Okay.

A happy Michael and a Sun Dial