Crying Over Spilt Milk
March 25, 2011
Conversation went something like this, maybe an hour after Peter had gotten home from school:
Him: Oh, by the way mom, don’t pack milk in my lunch again.
Me: Why?
Him: It exploded. I don’t know how it happened.
Me: What exploded?
Him: The milk you put in my lunch.
Me: Wait, what?
Him: It just exploded and there’s milk all over. I don’t know how it happened.
Me: You said that. Where’s your backpack?
Him: Um, I don’t know.
Me: Get your backpack.
Him: [Gets backpack, brings it to me, dripping white liquid.] Here it is.
Me: Aaaaahh! Peter!
Him: Sorry!
Me: [Takes backpack. Rushes it to sink. Opens it.] Oh my god. There’s milk everywhere..
Him: That’s what I told you!
And there was: A pool of milk at the bottom of the compartment where the lunch goes. Milk soaked through papers and books. Wet pencils, binders, granola bar wrappers, erasers, felt pens.
It was gross.
Backpack’s now soaking (above).
Papers and books are drying. 
Life of Wry 
March 25, 2011 at 10:30 pm
Yes, I remember seeing a recent newsclip about the exploding milk cartons. There’s something about backpacks, and homework, and boys that detonate the cartons or even the thermoses. Be careful next time.
March 26, 2011 at 9:29 am
You know, Elliot, these “cartons” are those indestructible Horizon milks–not the standard milk carton. He’s carried them in his backpack for years. But since junior high started, the weight of the backpack has increased substantially. He carries every book he uses throughout the day and his pack must weigh 20-25 lbs. Throwing that down in the wrong way would surely bust a milk carton–even the Horizon ones.
March 26, 2011 at 8:29 am
At least he told you on Friday instead of waiting until Sunday night!
March 26, 2011 at 9:25 am
The most milk-soaked papers were his sheets of music. He’s in that all-day adjudicated band festival today, and as he sorted through the drying papers on the kitchen island found his sheet music all stuck together (and dry)… so we carefully separated them (a lot of ripping!) and sent him off with music that is readable, but stiff and wrinkly. (Kinda funny, I must say.)