Our neighbor's dog (Ironically named Blue) died recently. This morning while looking out my bedroom window at the neighbor's house this conversation ensued.
Blue: Why did Blue die?
Me: He had cancer.
Blue: How did he get cancer?
Me. I don't know.
Blue: Did he smoke cigarettes? (laughing at her own question)
Me: (laughing)
Blue: Or maybe he ate cigarettes?
Blue: Why do cats eat birds?
Me: Well, its all part of the food chain. (note to self: explain the food chain when I'm not so damn tired)
Blue: Do people eat birds?
Me: Yes.
Blue: What kind?
Me: Chickens, pheasants, quail, duck...
Blue: Do they eat chickadees?
Me: I don't think so.
<<5 minutes later>>
Blue: What's horse?
Me: What do you mean?
Blue: What food comes from a horse?
Me: I'm not sure. I've never eaten horse... maybe burgers?
Blue: (contemplative pause) I've never eaten a horse burger.
(note to self: I need to get a digital recorder so I can capture these conversations and play them back to her when she's a woman.)
Willow with bird, 2007.
Its funny how our children can bring to surface so many memories of our own childhood. I remember thinking that if someone broke their arm or leg it actually "broke" off. And I had a friend who thought that mountains were just really tall trees.
My littlest (age 4, whom I'll refer to by her middle name) and I had another "time for bed and I'm gonna get deep with you, Mom" conversation last night...
Blue: "What if the earth broke into a bunch of pieces?"
Me: "Well, we would probably spin off into space and die."
(some of you might think she is too young to be talked to so bluntly about death but its been an ongoing conversation, initiated by her, since she was 3 and her grandfather died.)
Blue: "So how do the houses on the bottom of the earth not fall off?"
Me: "Remember, gravity keeps us and our homes pulled to the earth so we won't fall off."
Blue: "I'm glad I don't live down there!!"
She certainly makes me think. And laugh.
Me, 1976.
