Boys will always be boys

Is it just me? Am I really over reacting here?  I don’t think I am, obviously.  This is going to get confusing so let me lay out the cast of characters before hand.

Bo: my son, 12 years old, (13 in October).
STBTSA: (soon to be teenage son A) BK’s son, also 12 but will be 13 in a matter of weeks
SWBTEYB (still wet behind the ears younger brother):BK’s brother, obviously STBTSA’s uncle, 20, not the most responsible kid in the world.

So, to set up the drama…STBTSA and SWBTEYB were coming by the apartment today to pick up Bo so that the 2 younger boys could hang out today while we, the parents, were at work.  I asked Bo to call me with they got there.   And he did.  Great.  Running through the parental check list…
Did you turn off the PS2?   YES
Turn off all the lights?  YES
Lock the door?  NO
Uh, excuse me? You did not lock the door?
No mom, I didn’t. I forgot.
Well, then go back and lock it.
I can’t
Like Hell, you go home.
I’m in the car. Mom, I can’t
Let me talk to SWBTEYB
No, Mom.
Uh, this is not a discussion, do it now.

Hi SWBTEYB, you need to go back to my place so Bo can lock the door.
Uh, can’t really do that, going to be late for my dentist appointment.
Uh, I’m sorry, not really my problem now is it?  My apartment can not be left unlocked. Take Bo home.

Um, Mom…the reason I didn’t lock the door is…I can’t find my keys.
Well, that’s a fine mess.  Guess you should have never left the apartment then should you?
Mom, that’s not fair.
Oh, but I’m not about being fair.  What’s fair is, you’re not responsible enough to keep track of 2 keys, you can’t be trusted enough to go out with your friends. SWBTEYB is taking you home, and unless you find your keys and lock my door, you are NOT leaving that apartment.

Of course, BK gets involved too, because I have no way to get a hold of SWBTEYB and STBTSA doesn’t recognize my work # on his phone so he won’t answer. And my brilliant but misguided son has either A) left his cell phone at home, or B) has it turned off on purpose to avoid talking to me, or C) is just ignoring me and not answering. (That’s 2 strikes against him)

BK unfortunately was put in the middle.  I was understandably upset with my son, but I was also upset with SWBTEYB for not having a bit more common sense about this and taking Bo with him even though the apartment was not locked up.  SWBTEYB was ‘hurt’ that I was less than nice to him when I talked to him on the phone.  OK, maybe he has a point there, but give me a break, where’s your common sense?  What 20 year old takes off leaving an apartment with 2 computers, 3 TV’s, 4 stereos, a PS2, and other misc. stuff in it completely unlocked?  Hello?  

When I went home at lunch to talk about this with Bo, he just wanted to argue and back talk me and couldn’t see that he had done anything wrong b/c nothing had been moved or stolen.  Hey, just because it didn’t happen doesn’t mean it couldn’t have happened.  

God, do they ever get common sense?  Do they ever get logic?  Do they ever start to think things through or do they just fly off the handle and fly by the seat of their pants all their life?