Conversations in the Car Vol. 8

Aidan: Mommy, are superheroes real?

Me: Well, no, not really.

Aidan: But daddy said he used to be a superhero.

Me: *battling the urge to tell him what I really think of his dad sometimes* Well, yes honey, all daddies are superheroes.

Aidan: Can they fly?

Me: Some superheroes can fly, but daddy superheroes may have different powers.

Aidan: Oh, I see a superhero flying right now *points to a bird in the distance*! That Daddy Superhero must be batman.  He looks like a jet.  Are jets real?

Me: Yes, jets are real.

Aidan: I wish that jets landed.

Me: They do land, just like airplanes.

Aidan: Have you seen a jet?

Me: Yes.

Aidan: Have you seen one land?

Me: Well, no, but I know they do.

Aidan: I want to drive a jet.

Me: You mean fly? You want to be a pilot?

Aidan: Can pilots drive jets?

Me: Yes, pilots can fly anything that…flies.

Aidan: I want to fly jets so I can pass out peanuts.

Me: *stifling a chuckle* Oh really?

Aidan: Yeah, you know those airplane peanuts?

Me: Yeah.

Aidan: Yeah, those are good.

Me: Yeah, they are.

Aidan: Are robots real?

Me: Yes, robots are actually real.

Aidan: Have you seen one?

Me: Yes, I’ve seen one.  I’ve seen one that can vacuum your carpets.

Aidan: Do they wear costumes?

Me: Well, I guess some could…*racking my brain here…*

Aidan: Or they may not be robots at all; they could be people in there doing electronic body movements (keep in mind this is a four and a half year old talking).

Me: Electronic body movements, huh?

Aidan: Yeah.  Oh look, mom, there’s your work (pointing to a building that’s not my work)!

Me: No, honey that’s not my work.  That’s actually where Grampa Roger works though.

Aidan: Cool!  You work with Grampa Roger?

Me: (starting to get annoyed at this point) No, bubby, I don’t work with Grampa.  That’s not my building, remember?  I said my building is way that way, downtown, in the really tall building.

Aidan: I wish there was a pink building.

Me: Actually, there is a pink building, right up here (nearing St. Francis on Yale at this point), it’s St. Francis.

Aidan: Are we going to go in her house?

Me: Who’s house?

Aidan: Francis.

Me: No, it’s no one’s house, it’s a hospital.

Aidan: Is she in there?

Me: Who?

Aidan: Francis.

Me: No, SAINT Francis isn’t a girl.  He’s a Saint.

Aidan: Are we going to see him?  (I’m pointing to the building now, as we’re passing – he’s satisfied at seeing a pink building)

Me: No, Saint Francis isn’t alive anymore.  He lived a long time ago.  He was a very good man who loved animals and loved God, and he spent a lot of time praying to God and being good to people.  See (pointing to statue near the fountain), there he is there, that statue.  It’s not real; it’s just a statue of him.  He’s dead now.

Aidan: Oh, that’s too bad.

Me: Well, not really, he’s with God now, in Heaven.

Aidan: Is God dead?

Me: No, God lives forever and ever.

Aidan: But Francis is dead?

Me: Well…yes.

Aidan: When is our land going to die?

Me: Well, hopefully it doesn’t die.  Hopefully our land will live forever.  That’s why we have to make sure and take care of it.

Aidan: How do we take care of our land?

Me: Well, we don’t pollute.

Aidan: What does pollute mean?

Me: Uh…it means throwing trash all over the place and putting bad gasses into the air (reeeeaaaalllllyyy glad we’re getting close to school now).

Aidan: Yeah, we should take care of our land.  Mom, I get to be breakfast helper at school today.

Me: Oh that’s fun.  What doest he breakfast helper do?

Aidan: They pass out the milk and the juice and the food, and then you get to wash your hands and sit down.

Me: Oh, that sounds like fun.  (walking him into school and hugging him goodbye)

As I walk him into the gym, bend down to hug and kiss him, I take note of his crusty brown chocolate milk mustache and mismatched socks.  My little boy is growing up.  I hope to never stop answering his questions and listening to his stories. 

And I hope he’ll tell his friends that Mommies are superheroes too.

Comments

[Paul Dubie]

this is the funniest one i've read yet!!!

[Danielle Hostutler]

OH This is awesome!!!!!!!!!!! I love his inquisitive mind!!! And you ARE a superhero!!! You're an amazing mom!!!

[Missy Rose]

oh, paul, he was on POINT this morning! i was ready for decaf by the time i left him at school. nad you're right danielle, he is so clever and creative, and i LOVE that he's asking millions of questions about his world. i do hope it never stops!

[Megan Schell]

I was just going to say what Paul said! The best one yet! Francis was my fave. "Are we going to see her?" hahaha! Ah, kids. Love yours.