Today my son and wife and I went up to ride the steam train in Tilden Park. We love to go up there and ride. On our way up my son, Forrest, described a yard sale to me that he had been past with him mother earlier in the day. I was excited to hear his impressions, but couldn’t really glean what it was which seemed to ignite him completely about it.
Then he asked “Can we have a yard sale?” His mother and I looked at each other and smiled, “Yes, of course we can.”
“Ok, let’s do that.” he said. Ready, naturally, to head home immediately and start setting it all out on the sidewalk.
I asked him “When should we do that?”
To which he looked at me and said “Right now.” As if it were absurd to assume any other time would work out for him.
“Well honey, you know we would have to make signs, put them up, decide what things we want to offer…” and he was gone. Adrift on the flood of emotions which arise in a four year old boy when the explanation is too long, and no matter what you say, or how exciting you try to make it all sound, he knows he’s not going to dash home to have an impromptu yard sale.
He brooded for a little while, acted out a little, but mainly was quiet. “What’s up buddy?” I asked. Silence. “Forr, are you ok? What are you feeling?”
a little sigh, followed by “Nothing…” The sense of melodrama (matching my own) is so thick and put on it seems ironic and comedic.
“Are you disappointed?” I ask.
“Well…” says the little voice. “It’s just that I wanted to have a yard sale.”
“Honey, we will have a yard sale sweetie. We will. It’s just that we have to plan it, and make signs and get ready.”
“Ok.” He says flatly.
We are going to have a yard sale. It’s going to happen on monday. A national holiday which I’m not feeling too into this year. Nothing like war, death, propaganda and lies to make a man like me want to hide in the garage for 24 hours and not light off a single sparkler. Still, that shouldn’t stop the yard sale, should it?
Heck no.
