Living the dream: Hello, Fireman Max

"No, Fireman Max!" said Fireman Max, correcting the counselor who had just called him "Max." Dave and I were checking him into the Double H Ranch for five days of camp, and Max wanted to be sure people knew his proper name.

He had his trusty Fireman Max hat on. He doesn't wear it out much anymore, but when he went off to a different camp the other week and when it came time to head to this one, he wouldn't leave home without it.

"Max, do you really need to wear that hat?" Dave asked as we left the house. 

"YES!" said Max. 

Dave doesn't really appreciate it when Max wears that plastic red firefighter hat these days; he thinks it makes him look juvenile. Which it does. But I'm of the mindset that if it makes Max happy, so be it. At camp, he seems to wear it as both a point of pride and a mark of distinction. 

I continued talking to the nurse about meds while Max and his counselor roamed around. All of a sudden Max was back in a firefighter jacket and pants. The camp had it on hand for shows. "It's FDNY!" Max noted (Fire Department of New York), and sure enough the logo of his favorite firefighters was right there. 

Max looked ecstatic. Dave and I both smiled. Everywhere we walked afterward, people said "Hello, Fireman Max!" and he waved. An hour later, I finally got him to take off the outfit because he looked hot. He watched carefully as his counselor folded it up and put it in his backpack, for safekeeping. 

I'm not sure where Max's firefighter plans will land him. For now, he continues to delight in wearing his dreams on his sleeves. Maybe it doesn't do much for his image as a teen, but it works for the image that Max has of himself in his head. I think that's pretty awesome.