08 May, 2010

The Eternal Question - WHY?

8 May 2010
286

R. Linda:

There I was, enjoying a breezy, iced tea and lemon cookie day in me hammie (hammock) when the Airport comes traipsing over from his sandbox and he stands next to me head. I squinted open one eye and looked at him.

"Yes?"

"What's dis?" He holds a rock precariously near me nose so I can see it up close and personal.

"It's a rock."

"No, it has glitter stuff in it don't ya see it?"

"Oh yeah, it does," I closed me eyes and could still feel the shadow of the rock dangerously close to me eyes as it blots out the sunlight. I opened them again and gently removed his hand back over me hammie. I raised an eyebrow in question, "Are we finished?"

"Nope, what's da glitter doin in da rock?"

"It's called schist or something like that, I think,' I ventured.

"What's shist?"

"It's the sparkly glitter stuff," I say.

"I know Da, but why's it there?"

"Because it's a type of quartz?"

"Huh? What type a quartz is it?"

"I dunno," I say hoping that ends it.

"Why don't ya know?"

"Because I just don't. Ok?"

"No, yer the Da yer supposda know, so tell me!"

"Really O'Hare, I don't have a clue, none, notta."

"Why don't ya have a clue?"

"Because I never studied rocks."

"Why not?" He persisted.

"Ugh! Because I wasn't interested, that's why."

"Why not?" He asked, turning the rock over in his hands and examining it.

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Just BECAUSE."

"Tell me why."

"UGH! Tonya! Tonya where are you? Can you come and explain rocks to O'Hare please?"

"WHAT?" Tonya calls and I can hear the irritation in her voice from being disturbed from her flower bed.

"Never mind," I call back and see the child has not moved, the rock is resting on his outstretched palm like he's ready to hand it to me. "Okay I don't know because I didn't go to rock school, I be stupid when it comes to rocks, uneducated, dumb, that's it."

"Dat's yer answer?" He makes a face at me like I be really telling him that.

"O'Hare, it isn't polite to answer a question with another question."

"Huh? But ya didn't answer."

"Okay, so what is the question NOW?"

"Why didn't YOU go to rock school?" He stretched the words out in his frustration, but not as frustrated as I was becoming.

I sighed, closed me eyes and he dropped the rock on my chest and then picked it up and dropped it again. That was it I was finished. I handed him the rock and gently gave him a shove towards the sandbox.

"Go play."

"WHY?"

Okay, will someone PLEASE put me out of me misery.

Gabe

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2 comments:

Skye said...

Been there, done that, have the t-shirt. I have learned to refer those questions to their da.

Gabriel O'Sullivan said...

So that's why Tonya sends them to yours truly. Humph!