jack.

It was unbearably hot in NYC today & while his mother walked around our store a little boy, jack, who couldn't be any older than 4 & 1/2 took refuge on our couch. He was half asleep when his father & older brother finally arrived in the store and joined them on the couch. His older brother was restless and jack was unable to finish his nap. The father tried to get them both to sit still & jack suggested they sit back & close their eyes.

Great idea.

& then he said the most amazing thing any 4 year old boy could say:

Jack *with his eyes still closed*: you know what i do when i sleep?
father: what do you do?
jack: i think
father: think about what?
me *in my head*: think about what? you're a zygote
jack: ava...
father: what do you think about ava?
jack: that shes so pretty & shes my girlfriend... *smiles with his eyes still closed*

I melted.

Here was this adorable little boy - could barely walk in a straight line, could barely hold his head up - with such pure, innocent feelings about a little girl who i could only imagine is as precious as he is. I couldn't help but smile & be kind of envious of ava - it must be nice to be loved in that way - to be the reason jack can't really sleep at night.

& then he said the most outrageous thing any 4 year old boy could say:

jack *still with his eyes closed*: but then theres piper...
father: whos piper??
me *in my head*: who is piper?!
jack: my other girlfriend
father: what?
me *in my head*: what?!
jack: i like ava but i like piper too but i think i like ava more...if this was me *holds up right hand* and this was ava *holds up 2 fingers on left hand* and this was piper *holds up other 3 fingers on left hand* i would have to pick ava *wraps right hand around 2 fingers on left hand*
father: well if you don't like piper thats okay but you have to tell her...
jack: i know but...
me *in my head*: what the hell...

jack! how could you do this to me?...& piper? how could you melt my heart & then solidify (am i using this word correctly? probably not...) it again & then shatter it into a million pieces and stomp on it with your tiny little uncoordinated feet??
a love triangle?! you don't even have your big boy teeth yet!

Jack, my sweet, sweet jack, you're probably going to grow up and use those gorgeous light brown eyes to get any girl you want. you'll probably write her letters or poems or songs. she'll fall madly in love with you...& then you're going to leave her for her best friend.

boys like you grow up to be the guys that leave girls like me & piper alone on a friday night in bed with a pint of cookie dough ice cream & back to back episodes of say yes to the dress.

-r.