The best thing about Relay for Life was how many friends showed up to help us.

They were still coming even the morning after. In fact, one of my youngest son’s closest friends showed up with his mom at around five am, when all of the kids who spent the night were fast asleep in the tents.

After a little considering, I decided to wake my son up. I carefully opened the flap of the tent. He was sleeping on a cot, with his feet right at the tent opening. I reached in, grabbed a toe, gave it a shake.

He didn’t react.

A second, more vigorous shake still produced no reaction.

I was kind of stumped. I couldn’t say anything without waking up the rest of the kids, nor could I walk into the tent.

I reached in and grabbed his foot again. This time, though, instead of shaking it, I pulled. His whole body slid toward me.

His hands shot out and grabbed the edges of the cot and his head whipped around, eyes wide. “Wha-?”

I put one finger to my lips, and then waved for him to come out.

He did, bleary-eyed. As soon as he saw his friend, he woke up the rest of the way, and they headed out onto the track.