What is this was the one and only snow day of winter 2012? Elder teen got to sleep late, go to Chinese, then rehearsal (those theater folks are every bit as we’ll-play-anyway as the basketball team) and even went to a play. The younger teen got in chai, reading, cooking (the most delicious lentil and cauliflower dish for his class’ coffeehouse Friday evening), a little shoveling, a tiny bit of taking preschoolers sledding, being the most adored young teen to a five year-old, some television watching (Parenthood) and a hot bath. The little girl spent much of the day with her five year-old cousinly pal, Arella and her pal Elijah and then just Arella, both at A’s and back at home. She looked exhausted by day’s end. And then, it was her bedtime.
As heard on the bed’s edge (add tears and a pitched screech) from the little girl: “I wanted to say goodbye to Arella!”
“I wanted to play with Arella for a little while longer!”
“I miss Grandpa Lennie!”
“Why did he die? Did you tell his mom? I wanted to tell him one more thing!”
“I didn’t want the rats!”
“I wanted the rats not to be Remy’s! I wanted Pip and Squeak to be mine!”
“I didn’t get any of Remy’s birthday cake!”
“I want it to be somebody’s birthday and it’s nobody’s birthday and everyone is asleep and I want to go to somebody’s birthday RIGHT NOW!”
“Josh doesn’t have a dad. Why did his dad die? If his mom dies and he doesn’t die there will be nobody to take care of him! Why didn’t Grandpa Lennie’s mom take care of him?”
“I want to play with Addy! And Arella! And Joshua! I want to play with them all right now!”
“I want Daddy!”
“I want a snack!”
“I want to read that book right dare!”
“I want to lie on your lap!”
**
Meantime: pan to the nine year-old-brother who shoveled snow and then went skiing all day in the snow.
