What's happening to Gunner?

He looks like the same boy, sounds like the same boy, but something's definitely different.

Example 1: We had to swing by Arizona Mills mall the other day on the way home from school to look for a homecoming dress for Lauren. They're still in uniform, which makes a difference since we were entering the world of hip hop and punk. Gunner is not comfortable in this situation. Nonetheless, after providing some food, he was pretty patient. He bought a book at the Border's outlet and even donated a couple dollars (of his own money!) to the domestic violence shelter. Lauren wasn't successful until we happened to notice ONE MORE store on our way out of the mall. Gunner sighed heavily when we veered into shop. He had brought along some Lit/Comp homework (at my instruction) just in case, leaned against the counter and read his homework. Lauren found about five or six dresses to try on, but you know that we had to look at ALL the dresses to find those. As she tried on the dresses, Gunner and I sat on stools to wait. The fashion show began. Do you like this one? What do you think of this one? I love this one but can we change the hem? Gunner dutifully gave his opinion on each dress. When it came down to two, he gave his opinion one more time. His opinion mattered and we walked away with a dress, a happy girl and a patient, involved brother. WHAT?

Example 2: THE NEXT DAY we all trooped off to Urban Outfitters for shoes to match the homecoming dress, in school uniforms again, and after already waiting at the MVD for Lauren to take her driver permit test. Gunner was impatient so he and I walked down Mill Avenue, past all the street kids, to Mojo for some frozen yogurt. (It must be the time of year, but I thought the selection of 'Corpse Bride' as the movie to play for customers was a little hard to take while eating my yogurt.) When we got back to Urban Outfitters, Lauren was just about ready to go into the dressing room (no shoes, but so many other things to try on!) and Gunner was starting to show his usual signs of shopping weariness. He decided he'd go upstairs and look at the guy clothes. A bit later he calls me on my cell to tell me he's found the shoes he's been wanting. A little after that he calls to say he's found some "skinny" jeans and could he pay for one if I pay for the other. WHAT? I send his sister up to check out the jeans, knowing she'll steer him away if they look too crazy. I'm thinking his build is not right for skinny jeans. Luckily, they're just straight, not skin tight. He paid for his own shoes with his own money. He said it felt good to buy his own clothes. Now he was all set for the girl's birthday party he was going to the next night. Left with happy girl, happy boy and good stuff for both. This is weird.

Example 3: Then yesterday, after an extremely busy weekend, we were driving to the school picnic and they mentioned that Matthew wanted to go to a movie at the dollar theater later that evening. Hmm, I guess if all your homework is done (knowing it was unlikely) by the time you have to leave, that would be okay.

On the way home from the picnic, Gunner says, "I think we should call Matthew and tell him we should schedule it for next weekend, when we haven't been so busy." WHAT? I don't expect this from him. It would take a bulldozer to keep him from doing something with Matthew. He asked me to quiz him on the geographical features of Africa and then I checked his homework agenda. Did you do this? This? Yep, to all. How about these four math problems? Do you want me to see if I can figure them out? No, I'm saving those to go over with the teacher during tutoring. WHAT? How about we look over the Latin reading for tomorrow? Okay. OKAY? No protest? So we go through it. He heads to bed before 10:30.

Example 4: He was ready before Lauren this morning. And he got the BMW started to move it out of the way of the POD. I couldn't get the car to accept the security code right, apparently. He even agreed to listen to something other than the Beatles, Wolfmother, Dear and the Headlights or Weezer this morning. What is going on?  I can't decide. Being 14? Being the "man" of the house? His allergy drops are clearing his sinuses?Some synapse in the deep, dark recesses of his brain decided to fire?

Example 5: I asked him to do something and he said, "Aye, aye captain." SERIOUSLY? What happened to no, hold on and all those other response that mean are you kidding me?

I think it's because we finally made an appointment to have him tested for ADHD/ADD and possible learning disorders. Nothing like having everything working great when you take it to the mechanic. No really, it was making this awful grinding noise. Right here, whenever I did this.