ImPerceptibility

Describe the route Taylor would take if she walked to school.

It was one of those basic question you find in a elementary school Geography book. I glanced at it and thought, “Walk east on elm. Turn right on Main and keep going until you see the school” That was the answer. Or was it?

It seems that my youngest had other ideas. First she got one of her Polly dolls and put her beside the house marked Taylor’s home. Then the doll kissed her parents goodbye and started off to school. She skipped through the back yard stopping to sing some weird technoish-rap song to entice a kitten down from the tree. It worked. Then she zig-zagged through the park. She dropped her books at the corner of Elk Street but an off-duty police officer helped her pick them up. She had to wait quite a while for the traffic on Main street to slow down enough for her to cross. I’m proud to announce she did remember to look both ways. She stopped by the library to get a book to study. Dad called her and asked her to pick up some bolts at the hardware store. Then finally, she got to school.

I sat and listened to the whole story. I do appreciate her imagination but sometimes I just want to get things done. Hoping to get her to focus I asked her what the most direct route to school would be. She looked at me confused for a second.

“You mean she’s running late!” she shouts.

“Yes” I said and giggled.

“You should have told me that before she left home. Let’s start over!”

“Okay! Lets start over. Get the girl to school, she’s late!”

She starts making engine sounds. Then a helicopter comes and drops a ladder. The doll climbs up to the cockpit and they race straight to the school. She parachuted safe and sound onto the school grounds. There were even a few minutes left over to play on the playground before the bell rang.

I just had to smile. It’s good to be reminded why I don’t send her to school. With prices these days, gas for the helicopter would cost us a small fortune!

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