this isn’t really about strawberries
Yesterday, the boy and I went strawberry picking. Dude, strawberry picking is way more painful, (knees and back) than I remembered. It was also way more boring than he expected. The flat was about half full when he stood up and said with a sad little face “I’m tuckered.” Sometimes I could just squish him he’s so cute. I filled up the flat and we got out of there just in time for the skies to open up.
So we get home with our six pounds of strawberries. Really, six. That’s a lot of freaking strawberries, and I can to wash and de-stem them all. I knew he was bored tired so I let him pick out a movie and I set him up in the basement. I cleaned the strawberries.
Cut scene to an hour and a half later. Suddenly the house is very quiet. There’s no movie playing in the basement anymore. I’m still at the strawberries. (Okay, I get distracted easily.)
I call down to the basement “How was your movie?”
No answer.
Hmmm. “[insert boy's name here]” I called again.
Huh. Maybe he went up to his room while I was on the phone with my mother? “[insert boy's name here]” I call up the stairs.
No answer.
I glance at the front door. No way. He knows better. I think. But he’s only 5. He does dumb things sometimes. I argue with myself.
I open the screen door and call out, loudly this time. “[insert boy's name here]!”
Deafening silence.
Cue Jaws music banging through my head, causing syntax overload.
I race back to the basement, screaming now “[insert boy's name here]!!!!” Visions…well you know what the vision are.
Then I hear it. A faint “wha?”
My head explodes. I run down the stairs.
It’s not a boy who’s run away from home. It’s not a boy who’s fallen and hit his head on the hard floor.
It’s a boy who FELL ASLEEP during his movie.
A boy who then denied he was ever asleep at all. As he wiped the drool from his pillow creased cheek.
And then I squished him. The End.
Comments
8 Responses to “this isn’t really about strawberries”
Great read! I am so glad Mr 5 year old just fell asleep even though he denies it!
Isn’t it amazing how panic can set in so quickly!
I love that the strawberry picking tuckered him out. So cute.
that can be the scariest few minutes in a lifetime, those unanswered calls. It usually means mine are into something they know they should not be doing. Like eating handfuls of sugar out of the bag, or unrolling all of the toilet paper. I wish, how I wish it meant they were sleeping. Sigh.
Wow, you had my heart seriously racing, even though I was certain it would all be fine. I think maybe you should write a thriller! (No children characters allowed though, or I won’t read it! Too scary!)
Oh, how I miss strawberry picking in NH–lucky you! And why is it so universal for kids to deny that they were napping? Or even tired? I find that more than a little funny…and adorable!
How much do I love that your kid uses the word “tuckered”? Soooo much.
Sally - It does happen so quickly. No rational thoughts whatsoever.
Erin - Srsly cute.
followthatdog - I had to post about it because he’s NEVER done that before.
He’s usually getting into trouble instead!
Kaza - I can’t read those kind of thrillers either. Nightmares!
Christy - The strawberries were very tasty :) Did you used to live here?
Bejewell - I’ve never heard him use it before. I actually asked him where he learned it but he couldn’t remember. Probably one of his grandmothers!
Hi Long time reader first time poster.
Great post it helped me alot.
Thanx