Talking

Flash Fiction

Talking

“Stop.”

“Why?” James asked.

“We’re not getting anywhere. We’re running around in circles,” said Dad.

“I’m not running,” said James, confused, “Do grown-ups run without moving?”

“No,” Dad chuckled, “it just a saying.”

“I know, I heard you say it.”

“That’s a different kind of say…” Dad said, looking at the project.

“How can a ‘say’ be different?”

Dad finally caught on, “It’s a different kind of thing. When you talk you ‘say’ things. But sometimes people say things that mean something else… Running around in circles is like that. You could be running around in real circles, but this time it meant… ah… that we keep trying things to fix this, but so far it isn’t working.”

James squinted a bit… “I don’t get it…”

“And yet, you just did it yourself!”

“I did not…”

“Yes, you said ‘I don’t get it’ but what you mean is you don’t understand what I just said. Right?”

“Yes… and what’s the other part?”

“That you would think I gave you a real thing, like something you could hold in your hands, but you didn’t get it… Did that make any sense to you?”

“Not really…”

“How old are you?”

“You know I’m six.”

“Yes, and I forgot that you won’t know what that means until you’re eight. Sorry.”

“That’s OK. I gotta go to the bathroom…” off he went.

Mom came around the corner, with her phone in her hand.

“Don’t tell me you recorded that!”

“Ok, I won’t! But it may pop out in a few years when somebody is a little older…” she laughed.

“You think it will be funny when James is older?”

“Yes, and no. I think it’s going to be hilarious when you are a little older!” she laughed all the way back to the kitchen.