I slept until almost 7 a.m. this morning.
That’s two hours later than usual. When I do that my body feels a bit lighter and less achy but it takes awhile for my brain to engage. I feel a little foggy-headed. But I’ve done this long enough to proceed with my early morning routine on cruise control.
I took the dogs outside and waited for them to finish their morning ablutions. Upon my return, my 8-year-old grandson presented me with my morning mental calisthenics:
“Grandpa, do you have a crane?”
My brain does a quick search through my mental file cabinet:
“Crane” – noun:
1. any large wading bird of the family Gruidae, characterized by long legs, bill, and neck and an elevated hind toe.
2. a device for lifting and moving heavy weights in suspension.
I know the word, don’t understand the question.
“A what?” I ask, blowing out the cobwebs as quickly as I can.
“A crane,” he repeats patiently, “You know, to hold up your leg.”
I know Isaiah very well and I know that when this conversation ends I will be slapping my face with Oliver Hardy-like consternation.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I tell him, perfect straight man that I am.
“You know,” he explains again patiently, but with a growing sense of exasperation, “A crane to lean on so you don’t have to put your weight down on your leg.”
BOING!!
“You mean a CANE??” I ask, like the idiot I clearly am.
“YES!” he says, the exasperation arriving. “My leg hurts.”
May God forgive me, I pulled rank on him. “Your leg is fine, go get ready for school!”
It never ends.
Copyright © 2011, Dave Williams. All rights reserved.
Oh my dear, it’s obvious that in order to stay ahead of Isaiah(or even to keep up with him) you might need to go back to getting up earlier.