[Magdalen] New Grandson

[Jay Weigel]

Well, not really. He's a step-grand, one of several belonging to my
son-in-law. His name is Alley, or Allie, short for Michael Alexander, and
he's 16. I'd actually met him once before when Betsy and Jonathan got
married, but I didn't remember him much because he was so quiet. I did
remember his brother, who escorted me down the stairs.

Anyway, he has come into the family in this way: his mother was not taking
him to school so much that he was actually arrested by juvenile authorities
*at achool* for truancy.. (Betsy's assessment--"She's not a bad person,
she's just lazy, and after a certain age she just sort of lets them raise
themselves, I guess.") Jonathan was furious and went to court with him. He
told the judge that even though he had never been ordered to pay child
support, he had done so, and he and Betsy were prepared to assume
responsibility for him. He had records to back up his statement. The judge
asked Allie how he felt about living with his dad and he said he was okay
with it and would go to school. She gave Jonathan full custody, contingent
on school attendance and no further trouble with the courts. So Allie has
been with them since before Thanksgiving. His attendance has been perfect,
his grades have gone up, and he's flourishing as a big brother to Boogie
and Colin. I'm delighted to have another grandson! (I have some other steps
too, but still don't know them well.) Oh, and like the other boys, he's a
big reader, so I sent him home with a bunch of books. AND his birthday is
is the same day as S/O's!