On the hottest weekend ever, my little guy, Ethan, came to visit. Indoor activities only, except to water the birds and squirrels. He'll be 8 in a couple of weeks but that fact seems to have nothing to do with his mind.
He always brings with him not toys, but questions; seems he saves the hard ones for when he visits Kentucky. I need to remember the questions of this melting hot weekend.
We were talking about the hot sun and the damage the heat has done to my gardens while we watered on Saturday evening.
E: "I'm disappointed I've never seen an eclipse, Nana."
Me: "There will be one again in November."
E: "Will it be solar or lunar, Nana?"
Me: "Can't remember but I think lunar."
E: "Now where did those words come from, solar and lunar?"
Me: "Latin, I think."
E: "Latin is not a spoken language. So how do you know?"
Me: "Because Latin might not be spoken, but it is written."
I was getting a little warm; I am known to get a little short worded when I'm too warm.
E: "So is the Phoenixrising (all one word to him) a Latin myth, Nana and did you read about it in Latin?"
Me: "Not sure, Sweetie, might be Greek."
E: "What's a myth anyway, Nana?"
Me: "What do you think it is?"
E: "I think it's a story told by old people to make little people not worry."
Me: "Are you worried about something?"
E: "Immortals. I worry about immortals. See, I think science is 50% of it and I think God is 50% of it and when you put it together it equals 100% but I think God controls the science so it just means God is 100%. See?"
Me: "I do see. I think you might be right. Have you been Googling again?"
E: "Oh Google and books and sometimes the science programs. Mostly I just think about things."
Me: "It's OK to think about things, but you really don't need to worry."
E: "I'm only worried about Phoenixrising. If I could find a gold/red feather then I'd know he's not a myth, but a real bird. I think he looks like an eagle. Let's look for a feather."
So we did and of course there was no red/gold feather but by then it was dark and we were drenched from standing beneath the maple tree while we shot water from the hose straight up into it for the birds and squirrels. I thought I'd change the subject too, since it was getting a little deeper than I was comfortable with.
We went inside. I'd frozen grapes and bananas for a cool down snack. We were munching and not talking much when he said: "Oops, I just pulled a tooth. But don't worry I can take care of everything, I just need a plastic sandwich bag."
It's been a long time since I've been around a pulled tooth and I wasn't sure of the correct protocol of such an historic moment, but I got a little bag for him while he swooshed and rinsed and dried.
E: "OK, now let's talk again, Nana."
Me: "Sure, what's in the plastic bag?"
E: "My tooth, I'm saving it for the tooth fairy."
Ouch. I'd forgotten about the tooth fairy. How much did the tooth fairy leave these days? Inflation and all that. I was getting ready to ask when he said: "Do you know 'bout polnate, Nana?"
Me: "Not sure about polnate, but I know a little about pollinate." Ummmm, surely this won't get around to sex education. Surely there must be something he can discuss with his parents. Surely he'll soon wind down and fall asleep.
E: "That's it! Pollinate. I wasn't sure how to pronounce it. So my teacher mentioned that new fruits could be made by polnate. How does that work, Nana?"
Me: "It would have to be fruits from the same family group, I think. Tangerines and oranges mixed give us tangeloes . . . "
E: "Members of the same species, Nana. So I couldn't polnate a banana and a grape, right?"
Me: "Not likely."
Not exactly hot at that moment but a bit speechless at the direction his mind was taking.
E: "Nana!!! I get it! They have to have matching seeds. The seeds of two fruits have to match or they won't polnate! That's it! That solves the problem. Ummmmmmm I need to find a banana seed."
Me: "Bananas are tropical and I don't grow them here. They are huge and I don't think I could . . ."
E: "Oh that's OK, I have plenty of time to try this experiment. I'm only almost 8, you know. How much money does the KY tooth fairy leave? I might have to buy banana seeds."
Me: "I'm not sure, it's been a long time since . . ."
E: "That's OK, Nana, the KY tooth fairy will do just fine, I'll just save for banana seeds. Do you think you could make me a painting of the Phoenixrising for my room? Would that be a good birthday present?"
Me: "I do believe that would be a most excellent birthday present."
E: "Love you, Nana."
Me: "Love you right back, Ethan."
And yes, I let him fall asleep right on the loveseat, clothes and all. Plastic tooth bag tucked beneath his pillow.
He'll be back for his birthday on the 18th, he told me. I need to start that painting.
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