I Need to Find a Place

After being sick for several days I finally consented to go to the walk-in clinic. Ashley stayed at home with Justin and Logan (then less than two months old) and I took Ethan.  Having checked in, we were asked the usual questions.  What are your symptoms?  How long have you been sick?  Who should we notify in case you die from the wait?

As you can imagine, there are few activities that a five-year-old would find diverting.  Thankfully, Ethan managed to find entertainment in several of the waiting room magazines.  Now, had I been in a more human state, it may have come to my attention sooner that Ethan was not interested in the magazines but moreover the paper inserts.  It wasn't until he had shredded nearly all of them into very tiny pieces and confettied the floor that I realized what was happening.

"Ethan! What are you doing?" I exclaimed.
"I shredded these papers," he happily explained.
"Why are they all over the floor?"
"Because I dropped them."

Can't argue with logic.

"Ethan, you need to pick all of this up. Every bit, okay?"
"Okay dad."

He worked very hard to pick up each and every tiny little scrap.  Once he had finished he brought the handful of paper to me and, having been unsuccessful in locating a garbage can, announced to the crowded room,

"I need to find a place to dump all this crap!"

Well, it looks like I won't die waiting after all.  I think that just took care of it.

- 20 October 2008