Yes, Mr President
Dash and I were waiting at Violet’s bus stop this afternoon, after the kids’ first day back at school and Kindy after the holidays. He was chattering away, filling in the three minute period of stillness we get between the pickup-at-his-bus-stop, drive-13-minutes-to-her-bus-stop, pick-Violet-up-and-head-the-20-minutes-home routine we do on Kindy days.
To distract him from the latest bit of war-literature he had nabbed from school, we were flipping through a women’s magazine admiring the dresses (I like to keep him well-rounded). After deciding that Jennifer Love Hewitt was wearing the nicest frock on the red carpet, we chanced upon the token ‘serious’ article in the glossy publication..
“Mum?” Dash asked, brow furrowed.
“Hmmm,” I responded absently.
“Who is that pretty lady?”
“That’s Mrs Obama, Dash. Isn’t she lovely?”
“Oh yes! I like her smile…
And who is that man beside her?” he adds as an afterthought.
“Why that is MR Obama darling – he’s quite an important man, you know.”
“Really? What does he do?”
“Really? What does he do?”
My son stares hard at the photo of the most famous face in the world.
“Well, he’s the President of the United States,” I explain.
Small silence.
“But what does that mean?” he asks intently, eyes unwavering on the page before us.
“Well, he leads one of the biggest, most powerful countries in the world.”
Dash’s eyes go quite wide (and if you know Dash, that means there is very little room for anything else on his face!)…
I wait with anticipation for his reaction to this announcement.
He doesn’t disappoint.
“You mean…
You mean, everybody in the whole ‘Nited States has to, umm,
like, tidy up before the clock chimes when HE says so?”
“Yep, mate,” I said with barely a quaver in my voice…
“That’s pretty much it.”
18 Comments
Mary Paddock
LOL. I wonder if I can get Mr and Mrs Obama to come to my house . . .
Danielle Michelle
Oh BB – I so wish that happens. Maybe if one of our presidents actually does say ‘do this and do that and do it now’ our economy would stop falling into a recession and we really would be a bit more powerful (or at least economically sound).
He hasn’t been in office long enough to really see any type of changes to us country folk. I can’t speak for the cities, but I do know the hardest hit states are still suffering, especially the automotive industry, the heart of the midwest (where I am origially from). 3 and 4 generations of families are moving in with one another trying to ride it out. Others are moving West looking for jobs. It’s like we’re reliving “Grapes of Wrath” all over again.
Only time will tell…if we all could think as innocently as your son. Maybe our country wouldn’t be in such a mess…funny how it takes a kid to put things into perspective.
Debby
Man. I hate when he tells me I have to tidy up before the clock chimes.
Mom L
You gotta love the way Dash thinks. If only the rest of us had the inner sense of a child!!!
Nancy in Atlanta
Leenie
I LOVE the observations of the young ones who have a fresh perspective on things! Tidy up is certainly what needs to be done! Too bad the mess is so big and there are those who won’t mind. Dash is quite handsome with the eyes and the hair. Still reading backwards through your blog. Sad to get to the tragic story of the loss of life and then on to the photo of the bandage.
Dina
I’m with Debby!
It’s hard to be American. We’re always having to tidy up our rooms. Obama is so damn strict about that.
He’s so bossy!
Sabra
Very sweet. “Out of the mouths of babes…”
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
Oh if only it were that simple . . .!
Reddirt Woman
Dash is quite the deep thinker. Isn’t it great to see what a child equates an important person to be…
Helen
d/iowa
oh dash aren’t you adorable????
too bad our country’s mess is so big it can’t be tidied. is tidied a word?
Kate
we have quite the mess to tidy up! Sadly Dash, most of America is very naughty and doesn’t do as they are told 🙂 Maybe we should be grounded or get a spanking for something. That might help things along 🙂
Hippomanic Jen
That is so cute. Kids have the most straightforward take on things. Pity it gets so confusing as we grow up.
HR
We have to assume that the most powerful person in Dash’s world is the one who makes him “tidy up”.
Hmmmmm. Well, Mrs. O’s smile has nothing on yours either.
Cheers–HR
Jayne
LMAO
Pony Girl
I just love kids’ perspective on the world! 🙂 It is what I love most about being a teacher. Your young ‘un is such a handsome ‘lil man! Don’t you dare cut that hair, lol!
sues2u2
roflol! The things kids say. Sounds like Dash knows what’s what.
Woman in a Window
You gotta love him for that! Plus, my god, that boy is handsome.
It’s peculiar to me that even in Australia Obama is seen as the most important person in the world. Just thinkin’ about it…
Autumn Fullmer
Thank you so much for sharing that touching story. Children are so amazing and definitely have a cute, unknowingly simple, fairy-tale way about them. This is by far one of the cutest stories! Your children are very lucky and very handsome in Dash’s case.
P.S. The photo reminds me of Pres. Kennedy. Striking and captivating.