My son's life dream

For the last 2 years (11 in october) his life's dream has been to be a video game programmer.

Last night I am trying to find something on the tube that 1) I enjoy and 2) doesnt cause me to get into discussions with my son that I am not quite ready for

I find a science channel program on Bigfoot "The Science of Bigfoot" or some such. "Ah Ha! this'll work"

Max: "Oh yeah. I saw this already. it is way cool."

Me: "Oh sorry. want me to find something else?"

Max: "No way. this is good"

Then about 2/3 of the way through Max turns to me

"Dad, that is my life's dream."

Me: "What is?"

Max: "To be a scientist who finds Bigfoot"

me: "Really. I thought you wanted to make video games?"

Max: "Well that too. But I want this too"

me: "Well you know Bigfoot is around here."

his eyes get big. I guess he hadn't noticed that bit of info.

Max: "Really?"

me: "Yup. Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Local indians call them Skookum. Check it out. more sigghtings in washington and oregon than most other places combined"

Max: "whoa. cool. I might see one."

Me: "Sure. if you want, we can go looking for 'em this summer. You want to?"

Max: "Hell yeah!"

me: "Language, hoss. So what you gotta do is to research everything you can find out about Sasquatch and where they are seen so we can figure out where to go."

Today I have been greeted by drained ink cartridges and about a ream of paper run through the printer as he sucks down every Skookum-fact he can find and commits it to memory and paper.

Guess what I'm doing this summer?

Maxism

 

A very long time ago I connected to Facebook. My usual online paranoia took hold and I of course used fake info. Recently I switched over to real info so that folks I know could find me, and me, them. Quite a few were folks I knew from college when I attended Cornish College of the Arts. One friend of mine from back then also has a son named Max. And I saw that he has been blogging interesting conversation he has had with Max. Now while all of our children are the pinnacle of evolution in our biased eyes, all of our children do come up with interesting and often humorous observations  - the sort of perspectives that can only come from someone as guileless as a child. And my Max is no exception. I only wish I had spent more time recording these events when he was younger. Now at 10 years old, his conversations have begun to take a more adult tone as he begins to explore and question more adult ideas.

But I will never forget this one:

An oft played game -

"Max, who is the best boy in the world?"

"I am!"

"Max, who is my best buddy?"

"I am!"

"Max, who is your best buddy?"

"Angelo"

A bit nonplussed I ask "I'm not your best buddy?"

With a wicked laugh "No! You're my minion!"

How sharper than a serpent's tooth indeed.