A boy needs a cape, one he can trust, especially a feisty red-headed boy born on Friday the 13th, in such

a hurry to make his appearance in this world that he was almost born in a car on the way to the hospital that cold January morning. Patrick, named months before knowing he ust might need a little !luck-ofthe-"rish# to counteract his traditionally superstitious birth date, has brought nothing but good fortune to our family, but boy did he walk the edge of that four-leaf clo$er field these past %& years, testing e$en 't. Patrick(s patience) *he first time " heard the song by +uy ,lark, !Always *rust -our ,ape,# " thought that he must ha$e had or been a Friday 13th boy too)
Eight years old with a flour sack cape tied all around his neckHe climbed up on the garage, he's figurin what the heckScrewed his courage up so tight, that the whole thing come unwoundHe got a runnin start and bless his heart, he headed for the ground. Well hes one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faithSpread your arms and hold your breath and always trust your cape.

.ike most little boys, mine worshipped superheroes and by donning a cape, he became a /in a *urtle, 0atman, a Power 1anger, or 'uperman, protected from all e$ils and dangers of the world by the fabric about his shoulders. "(m pretty sure it was the ,aped ,rusader he was channeling when he took a flying leap from the stool in our pediatrician(s office on his third birthday, re2uiring an all-day trip to the hospital, because our pediatrician didn(t do stitches. Another hospital $isit was re2uired when he was chasing his brother 3A4A the creepy Joker5 and slammed into the corner of the kitchen counter. 6$en superheroes can(t contain their e7citement on a snowy morning, and ours was no e7ception as he came bounding into our bedroom and bounced from the bed and into the window, re2uiring his dad to make a treacherous ourney through the ice and snow to get to the hospital. " wonder if 0atman e$er got stitches, because my boy got so many that he knew most of the kind doctors and nurses at ,hildren(s 8ospital, who thrilled him to no end when they took to addressing him as !our little 0atman.# *hey weren(t, howe$er, so kind to us, pointing us in the direction of ,hildren(s 'er$ices. "t(s not easy ha$ing a superhero li$ing in your house. "t re2uires courage, a bit of holding your breath, a commercial first-aid kit, and lots of embellished stories to e7plain the colorful casts and the eggs and train-track

stitching on the forehead. 9y husband and " still get goose bumps when we recall our little sprite sneaking out our bedroom window onto the porch roof dancing some sort of ig to his own rhythm, the trademark blue and red 'uperman cape flapping behind him in the bree:e. 8e may ha$e trusted his cape, but it was a bit of luck, a lot of faith, and the skills of some $ery good doctors that earned our trust. Just when " thought he had outgrown heroes and capes, one leapt straight off a page in a book, into his heart, and accompanied him through the ourney of middle school through high school. 8arry Potter, same age as Patrick, bespectacled like him, and at least one matching :ig-:ag stitching on his forehead, offered a different cape or cloak, one that taught him about loyalty and true friendship and deflected much of the negati$e words and actions so associated with growing up. *he in$isibility cloak probably came in handy with some of his adolescent antics, some " know and others " wish ne$er to know. 9y boy turns %& this month, and his super hero capes are but memories, packed away with his first words and report cards. 8e(s graduated from college and taken a big leap of faith, chasing his dreams cross-country, all the way to 'eattle.
ow he's all grown up with a flour sack cape tied all around his dreams!nd hes full of piss and "inegar, and hes bustin at the seamsSo he licked his finger and checked the wind, its gonna be do or dieHe wasnt scared of nothin, boys, he was pretty sure he could fly,

As " listen to 6ric 0ibb(s $ersion of the ,ape song, " am o$ercome with a longing to send my boy one more cape for his birthday. *he one " ha$e in mind is not a physical one in a primary color, embroidered with some emblem representing a superhero, but one that he can truly trust. *he cape that " want to send can(t be bought, yet offers more protection than most. 9y cape is the one " gifted him at birth, now a bit tattered and worn in spots, stitched together with the lo$e and support of family, friends, and faith, embellished with a few shamrocks and kisses. "t(s the best kind of cape, because if it is really trusted, it can turn the most normal boy into a superhero. After all, isn(t that the wish of e$ery good parent;
Well hes one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faithSpread your arms and hold your breath and always trust your cape