Yes, that Rudy!!!

I don't mean to track my college kid's whereabouts, but technology just functions that way nowadays.  I promise I am not trying to snoop.

Lad has been consistently overdrawing his bank account.  First of all, can I explain what a pain in the ass it was for him to have a cash card this school year?  As he walked out the door to the airport back in August, I called after him, 'Oh, yeah.  I will put some cash in your account in the next few days.'  He left home with some cash on him, so this plan was supposed to work fine.

Well, his bank account had a negative fifteen cent balance all summer.  Lad didn't use it all summer, and I didn't pay any attention to it.  So the bank, being a bank, decided to close out that college cash card account, because it had a negative balance for over 30 days.  Oops. 

I understood the mix-up, but was a tad frustrated when they couldn't just re-open his account.  They could not link his current cash card to a new account either.  Lad was in New York and he had no functioning cash card.  He did have a credit card, against our better judgement.  This credit card is supposed to be used in emergencies.  We differ on what qualifies as an emergency.  Example #1:  crazy parents that we are, buying beer . . . NOT an emergency. 

Eventually Lad was able to visit a bank chain out east and show his ID AND his passport.  He signed something.  They opened an account for him and then sent him a new cash card in the mail.  I swear there had to be an easier way.

A tailgater at Notre Dame back a few years back.

Well, that account is where I transfer cash when he gets low.  Now, mind you, I have invested a decent hunk of money on his food card/school ID that he can use to eat on campus and at select area eating establishments (doesn't it sound fun to be a college kid these days?) . . . so in my book, he shouldn't need a heck of a lot of cash on the cash card.  Ya follow?

Well, he overdrew the account again today.  I sat down and opened up the account to see what the heck he is spending his money on.  Well, well, well.  Guess who recently visited South Bend, Indiana?  Good guess.  My son, Lad, who is in school out in New York. 

I cornered Ed, my senior.  He played dumb.  He 'knew nothing' about Lad going to a Notre Dame game in South Bend on November 11th.  I pressed him further.  I knew that Ed knew, because when I said, 'So, did you know Lad was at Notre Dame last weekend?'  Ed froze, and stumbled, 'Wait, how did you know?  I mean.  I didn't know that.'  Aha!

When I was a student at St. Mary's, the movie
 'Rudy' was being filmed.  They filmed
some of the game scenes during half time
 of real games.  Whenever that movie
 comes on, I like to remind the kids that they
 may not be able to see me, but I am
 in the movie.  They held up signs and
 we all cheered 'Rudy, Rudy', etc.

Lad has mentioned to me that he was recently put in contact with Rudy.  As in 'the' Rudy, from the movie:  'Rudy.'  There was a connection between an alum from Lad's school, who lectures in Lad's classes at time, and Rudy.  Lad being a big ND fan, this alum (who is also hosting my kid for Thanksgiving) set up a time for Lad to meet Rudy over the phone. 

Ed spilled the beans.  Rudy flew Lad out to the game (Rudy was not in town, so they didn't actually meet).  Rudy paid for his flight.  Lad traveled solo.  Met up with his two cousins that are at Notre Dame and Saint Mary's.  Hung out with an alum from high school.  And apparently ate at a few places in South Bend.  That last part I know about because his cash-card-paper-trail told me so.

I think it is great that Ed cannot figure out how I know what I know.  I refuse to reveal my source, because this digital fingerprint (is that what you call it) can come in quite handy!

I mean, maybe this post should be more about the fact that Rudy flew my kid from New York to an ND football game.  Is that crazy, or what?