Day with Jack

Had Jack at home today, some Superintendents conference at his school or something. We went to the bank, ate breakfast at the diner (he ordered pancakes, craned his neck to watch the fish at the aquarium one table over, and ate my bacon), took Laney on a long walk, and played Checkers (he won) and Parcheesi (I did), just barely.

Late in the afternoon, we switched on the TV and he got to see his first-ever Bugs Bunny cartoon. Much to my relief it was not one of the newer, lame ones, but instead the one with the Bullfight. He laughed uproariously in all the right places, most notably when Bugs led the bull on a dainty dance across the ring.

Before picking up Kate, we went to the grocery store, and as we left, Jack noticed, as he always does, the sign for Loews Theatres. At that point, this conversation ensued.

"We should go see a movie." Well, I said, we have to get Kate in 10 minutes.

"We should go see one that's just ending, and then go get Kate." So, you think we should pay to see the last 10 minutes of some movie, and then get Kate afterward?

"I didn't think we'd have to pay, we could just get tickets out of the machine, right?" Jack, we'd have to buy the tickets. Everything costs money.

"What about drawing a picture? That doesn't cost money." Well, you have to buy the paper and the markers.

"What about reading a book?" Well, you had to buy the book. Jack, everything costs money.

"EVERYTHING doesn't cost money. What about falling down? Falling down doesn't cost money." Well...what if you hurt yourself? You might have to go see the doctor. Or buy a band-aid.

"Well, but what if you fell down and a band-aid was right on the street next to you." Pause. OK, I guess you're right, in that case it wouldn't cost money.

"See, everything doesn't cost money!"

You're right, Jack.