During lunch today, TE said, “Y’know what? My real granddad is an EX-pert on every kind of animal there is. He knows everything about all kinds of animals.”
Okay, I’m cool with that. What kid doesn’t brag about what their dad, granddad, mom, grandmom, or great-aunt-becky-sue can do? Here is why this sound bite is of interest to me:
First, TE didn’t just emphasize the syllable “EX.” He supersized it. Seriously. It was LOUD, fortidunal…just HUGE! So much so that the “pert” sounded like a hummingbird with gas. It was nothing compared to the “EX.” That was weird.
Second, what is a real granddad? TE has two living and breathing grandfathers. I know both of them. One of them happens to be my father. Of what I know of them, it’s more than fair to assume he was talking about his paternal grandfather. Which makes me wonder how maternal granddad would feel knowing he isn’t “real.” And do my children now think less of their maternal grandfather since he’s not real? Of course, if the shoes were reversed, I’d wonder the same thing. It was just such a hurtful thing to say (and so innocently and preciously proclaimed). The good news is that TE’s parents are both EXperts in their fields and they come of stock of EXperts in theirs. It’s one of those tree-branch-apple things.
I wonder if next week, when TE is talking to his friends about spring break over the lunch table, will I be a “real” aunt or just some figment of his imagination?
Leave a Reply