travelers

self-deception

Evan: "I made up a secret language. Even I don't understand it."

signs of the times

"Hot Love 2" was a show put on by Evan, Sage and Lily (visiting from Seattle) in the puppet theater. I have no idea what it was about, but it included lots of shouting and punching, a tornado siren simulated on kazoo, and an elephant delivering the line, "Yeah, the Incredible Hulk is right." I also have no idea why it was called "Hot Love 2," and neither does Evan, who wrote and directed it. "Sage and Lily named it," he says.

parting shots

In the car, leaving Topeka:
"Goodbyyyyye, Phelpses."

On the highway to the airport:
"Lincoln was killed by LeBron Booth."
"Hey Sage, remember when I taught you how to hail me? HAIL EVAN! HAIL EVAN!"

In the airport, after waiting half an hour to learn that we were going to miss our connecting flight:
"The great thing about being a kid is that you don't understand all the bad stuff that's happening."

i lose

Sage: "Stand still as fast as you can."

Eric: "Stand still as fast as I can?"

Sage: "Yes."

[Eric and Sage stand still for a few seconds.]

Sage: "I won! We were playing a contest."

honey, the kid shrunk me

Eric: "You're looking through the wrong end of the binoculars, Sage."

Sage: "I don't like big things. I like small things."

epigrammy

There's a chance I'll be able to publish a book of these, but I need to write a bunch more and they need to be good. So I welcome comments. Please don't worry about my feelings -- I just want to know what's working. Thanks.


“Evan is seven. You are two.
So give me one good reason you
should get to do the things he does.”
Sage rubbed her brow and sighed. “Because
of what you said yourself. It’s true:
Evan is seven. I am too.”


***


“Mommy, Daddy,” Evan said,
“When S-a-g-e goes to bed,
let’s watch an m-o-v-i-e.”
Sage scoffed, “I know that spells TV!”


***


Evan pointed to where, in the snow,
tiny legs were beginning to show,
and he said, “What a beautiful thing:
It’s the first action figure of spring.”