Too Smart For Words
“Dad?”
“Yes, Kevin.”
“Can we go to the park?”
“Not right now, Kevin. I told you I’d be busy for at least a couple of hours. If there’s time later, we will. I must finish this brief for court tomorrow; and you know you are not supposed to be in my study when I’m working, okay? - and leave the papers alone.”
Kevin is at a loose end: not knowing what to do with himself. He knows that Daddy is easy to get along with; but when he’s working his good humor can evaporate if he’s bugged too much. So Kevin continues to wander around the study absorbed in the fascinating memorabilia and artwork - but most especially the collection of books lining the walls and behind glass doors.
Trailing fingers over the furniture and glancing at papers on the desk, his interest is suddenly awakened by something he reads.
“Dad?” he blurts, without thinking.
“Hmmm? What?” asks Dad.
“Dad, remember before Xmas when Brian said there isn’t a Santa Claus? - and we all read a story about Virginia, and Santa being real if you believe in him?”
“Yes, Kevin. Why?”
“Well, the two way radios we got at Xmas - you and Mommy said they came from Santa.”
“That’s right. What’re you getting at?”
“Why does this paper say TA 101 and Costco?”
Dad looks at Kevin with a slight frown, although his attention is still held by the task before him. He focuses on what the boy is saying because his instincts tell him an important issue has arisen. Kevin was almost devastated before Christmas when Brian, his older brother, taunted him about Santa not being real. It had taken some effort to restore him to his effervescent self.
“That’s a receipt for some stereo equipment, I think. Santa brought your walkie-talkies; remember he ate the cookies you left for him? Now you must get out of here Kevin, I’m really busy right now.”
Dad quickly immersed himself in his work and the incident slipped from his mind. The subdued chiming of the grandfather clock at each quarter had a hypnotic effect on the writer who, if he had a choice, would rather be in his study doing what he was doing, than anything else on earth. The furnishings and decor provided a calm and comfortable environment in which to work and he often succumbed to its spell - oblivious to everything around him.
A couple of hours later he decided to relax with a cup of coffee while proof reading the finished work. As he arose, he noticed a two-way radio and a sheet of paper lying on the guest chair next to the desk. Puzzled, he picked up the radio and glanced at the paper, recognizing the receipt Kevin had previously mentioned. He looked at the radio, and there in bold black letters on the bright yellow case was written Two-way Radio - Model TA 101.
Dad sighed with the realization that Kevin, at age six now knew that Santa existed only if you believed he did.
“Yes, Kevin.”
“Can we go to the park?”
“Not right now, Kevin. I told you I’d be busy for at least a couple of hours. If there’s time later, we will. I must finish this brief for court tomorrow; and you know you are not supposed to be in my study when I’m working, okay? - and leave the papers alone.”
Kevin is at a loose end: not knowing what to do with himself. He knows that Daddy is easy to get along with; but when he’s working his good humor can evaporate if he’s bugged too much. So Kevin continues to wander around the study absorbed in the fascinating memorabilia and artwork - but most especially the collection of books lining the walls and behind glass doors.
Trailing fingers over the furniture and glancing at papers on the desk, his interest is suddenly awakened by something he reads.
“Dad?” he blurts, without thinking.
“Hmmm? What?” asks Dad.
“Dad, remember before Xmas when Brian said there isn’t a Santa Claus? - and we all read a story about Virginia, and Santa being real if you believe in him?”
“Yes, Kevin. Why?”
“Well, the two way radios we got at Xmas - you and Mommy said they came from Santa.”
“That’s right. What’re you getting at?”
“Why does this paper say TA 101 and Costco?”
Dad looks at Kevin with a slight frown, although his attention is still held by the task before him. He focuses on what the boy is saying because his instincts tell him an important issue has arisen. Kevin was almost devastated before Christmas when Brian, his older brother, taunted him about Santa not being real. It had taken some effort to restore him to his effervescent self.
“That’s a receipt for some stereo equipment, I think. Santa brought your walkie-talkies; remember he ate the cookies you left for him? Now you must get out of here Kevin, I’m really busy right now.”
Dad quickly immersed himself in his work and the incident slipped from his mind. The subdued chiming of the grandfather clock at each quarter had a hypnotic effect on the writer who, if he had a choice, would rather be in his study doing what he was doing, than anything else on earth. The furnishings and decor provided a calm and comfortable environment in which to work and he often succumbed to its spell - oblivious to everything around him.
A couple of hours later he decided to relax with a cup of coffee while proof reading the finished work. As he arose, he noticed a two-way radio and a sheet of paper lying on the guest chair next to the desk. Puzzled, he picked up the radio and glanced at the paper, recognizing the receipt Kevin had previously mentioned. He looked at the radio, and there in bold black letters on the bright yellow case was written Two-way Radio - Model TA 101.
Dad sighed with the realization that Kevin, at age six now knew that Santa existed only if you believed he did.
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