Navagation

Navigation

“Jeff,” his father called.

Six-year-old Jeff ran in from another room.

“I have to ask you a question.”

“OK,” Jeff said, hurriedly, anxious to get back to what he was doing.

“This is important. Do you swear to tell the truth?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Ah... you won’t tell me?”

“I won’t swear! I got in so much trouble with Mom when I said that word! I didn’t even know it was a swear, I just heard you say it. Mom says I can swear, but not until I’m grown up, and even then only when it’s aprotiate.”

Thrown off by that Dad said “Aprotiate?”

You know, aprotiate, Mom says it all the time.

It clicked in, “Appropriate?

“Yeah... I always forget the pree part.”

Dad shook his head, trying to get back into authority mode, and not laugh. “What that means is, I want you to tell me the truth when I ask you this question.”

“I would never lie to you Dad!” the look of shock on Jeff’s face made Dad realize that now he seemed to be accusing Jeff of lying before!

“It’s just something people say, I know you don’t lie!”

“That’s kind of mean, isn’t it?”

“Like I said it’s just something people say, a saying. Kind of like ‘Have a great day.”

“But we do hope they have a great day, right?”

“Yes, always... Now let’s get back to why I called you in here, OK?”

“Ok! I’m listening now!” Dad sat in the chair next to him, folded his hands in his lap and looked at his son. Then burst out laughing.

“Are you alright, Dad?”

“Yes, better than alright. I’ve actually forgotten why I called you in here! Go play!”

And he laughed again, watching his amazing son run off to navigating another day.